


An Angel's Boredom

by Kireizaki



Series: Gabriel Dropout TSF stories [2]
Category: Gabriel DropOut (Anime), Gabriel DropOut (Manga)
Genre: Comedy, F/F, Genderbending, Manga & Anime, Romance, TSF, Transformation, Transgender, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 15:36:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20194612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kireizaki/pseuds/Kireizaki
Summary: A NEET finds themselves filled with angelic brilliance, and is whisked away to a life that... is far too boring to deal with.A genderbending comedy about someone becoming Shiraha Raphiel Ainsworth from Gabriel Dropout!





	An Angel's Boredom

Yuto’s waitress let out a loud, sleepy yawn as she handed him his coffee, barely doing a thing to even cover her mouth as she shot him a look so utterly disinterested it looked more like she was seeing straight through him, barely even cognizant of his presence.

“Here. One café au lait,” she said, her words flat. If any real emotion could be detected through them, it was sleepily-veiled annoyance.

“Uhh, yeah, thanks.”

Yuto’s reply was nervous and shaky, unsure of what he could really say in response to someone who seemed so deeply unenthused by what they were doing, as if every second she spent in the café was a complete waste of her time. He’d been coming to this cafe for quite a while, and while the owner was old enough that he probably appreciated getting any help at all, it really did feel like he’d just immediately accepted the first person who applied to work here.

She was cute, to be sure. A short, petite blonde with blue eyes and features that almost seemed cherubic. Yuto was sure she could easily be a big draw to the café if she just put the tiniest bit more passion into her work, but even her appearance seemed worn down and sleepy, her long hair riddled with knots and split ends.

A small part of him idly thought that even he could do the job better than her. He’d always struggled with being terribly formal, so he might stumble a little with some customers, but he’d at least work hard to try and be friendly, and that uniform really did look cu-

He shook his head, not wanting his mind to wander any further than it already had.

As soon as she put down the drink, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, not even noticing as two silver cross hairpins tumbled down to the ground. Yuto wasn’t quite sure why, but he was almost relieved to see her lips barely curl into a smile as she glanced at her screen, glad for any sort of change from her usual demeanor.

“My shift’s over,” she said in the same flat, disinterested tone, “so go talk to the owner here if you wanna pay or whatever. He’s pretty old, so you could probably just walk out with no trouble.”

“I...I’ll probably just...pay, I think.” Yuto forced out a smile, surprised by how deep her apathy truly ran.

“Whatever.”

She yawned again, before turning to leave without another word.

“E-excuse me!” he called back, grimacing as he saw her turn back to face him, clearly annoyed that anyone would get in the way of her heading home.

“You uhh, you dropped these,” he said, reaching down and scooping up the hairpins that had slipped out of her pocket earlier. It was strange, they felt so...warm, so pleasant to the touch. He wasn’t sure why, but just having them in his hands made him feel almost...comforted, in some odd way.

Hurriedly walking back to the table, she clicked her tongue as she snatched them out of his hands, spitting out, “Thanks,” in the least grateful voice he’d ever heard.

Though Yuto continued to give a strained smile until she hastily walked out the café door, he couldn’t help but think, _Why...why the hell did I even bother…?_

By the time the door shut behind her, Yuto let out a loud, heavy sigh, glad to be able to drink his coffee in peace and quiet.

~~~

Out on the street, Gabriel, the waitress who’d just been serving Yuto, dug into her pockets once more, this time to pull out a candy bar she’d been saving as a treat for putting up with another day of work. For as bitter as she’d seemed about having dropped the small, silver crosses in the first place, she was too tired and too irritated at the hours she’d spent working instead of doing something better with her time to notice as they were pulled out with her reward, clattering to the ground once more. A little while later, as she got closer and closer to her apartment, she tossed the wrapper of her candy bar in the vague direction of a nearby recycling bin, too focused on getting back to the MMO she’d been playing to see it completely miss her target, leaving yet another one of her possessions on the ground. She’d notice later that she’d lost the hairclips, but by that point, it’d be way too much effort for her to even think about finding them again. Besides, she didn’t even like the things. They were way too prissy for her tastes.

~~~

“Excuse me!” Yuto called to the café’s owner as he approached the register. “I’m ready to pay!”

“Oh, yes, just a moment!” the old man called back before hurrying in his own slow, hobbling way, over to greet Yuto. “You,” he started, tapping out the amount Yuto needed to pay into the register, “are actually our very last customer for the day. We technically closed up shortly after you’d placed your order,” he said, smiling kindly.

“Sorry I kept you past closing time! I would’ve asked for it to go if I knew!” Yuto apologized, hastily handing over his money, not wanting to waste another second of the owner’s day.

“Oh no, it’s perfectly alright! I stay behind for a while after closing time each day, just to make sure everything’s clean and ready for tomorrow.”

“D-doesn’t your waitress help with that? Then again, she seemed like she was in a rush today. I bet something urgent came up.”

“W-well…” The owner’s face suddenly turned pale. “No, it’s not that she’s busy, but Gabriel is...er...well, she...works at her own pace… Some days, that means she leaves before the end of her shift, but...that’s probably fine, I think.”

“I...yeah, I see…” Yuto mumbled, not wanting to press the subject any further, even though he wasn’t quite sure how she was still employed there at all.

“Well, nonetheless, thank you for your patronage!” the owner said warmly, handing Yuto his change.

“Sure thing! I’ll, uhhh, come back soon!” Yuto smiled nervously as he headed out the door, hastily shutting it behind him. The coffee really was lovely, but that waitress, Gabriel, left such a poor impression that he wasn’t sure when he’d be back at all. He loved this place, but...maybe he’d wait to come back when he knew she wasn’t working. That’d probably be for the best.

“Ah well, no point in dwelling on it.”

Yuto pulled out his own phone, plugged in his headphones, put on some music, and started walking home. He never really knew what he wanted to do with his weekends, but right now, the idea of going home and relaxing without anyone else glaring at him sounded incredibly appealing.

He never really played his music too loud whenever he walked around the city, worried that some noise might escape and some passerby would end up hearing the dorky anime and videogame music he loved listening to, but it was at least loud enough to block out most of the sounds of the street. Still, the shrill, high-pitched yapping of a stray dog in a nearby alleyway definitely caught his attention, its cries blasting through any barrier his earbuds provided and piquing his curiosity.

A little on guard for whatever he might find, Yuto made his way down the alleyway, noticing a small, furry-looking shadow on the wall just past an overflowing garbage can. With slow, careful strides, he made his was towards the shadow, until he could finally see over the piled-up, rotting vegetable peels, spying a little, white dog energetically yapping with what looked like melon bread from a nearby convenience store in its mouth. As soon as Yuto had taken in the sight, though, the dog noticed him, letting out a quick, ineffective growl before darting away, further down the alley.

“Okay...not sure what that’s all about…” he said, getting ready to turn around and continue on home, when he saw something glinting on the ground where the dog had been standing.

“Hm?”

Yuto crouched down to get a better look at whatever it was he was seeing, laughing once the realization hit him.

“Haha, no way!” he chuckled, as he picked up the small, cross-shaped objects he’d seen back in the café. He still felt the same warm, comforting feeling they’d given him earlier, but it felt a bit dulled now, as though the dirt that had gotten caked on while they were on the ground had somehow tarnished more than just their appearance.

“She lost them_ again?_”

He’d say he couldn’t believe it, but really, considering just how little mind she seemed to pay to, well, everything, Gabriel losing them again shouldn’t have even come as the slightest surprise.

“Ah well.” He carefully put them into his pockets, continuing his walk home. “She’ll probably just get annoyed again, but I’ll take ‘em back to the café tomorrow. I wonder if she’ll even notice they’re gone…”

~~~

Yuto smiled as he stepped back into his apartment, giving the song that was playing just a few more seconds for the chorus to wrap up before he unplugged his headphones and paused the track. Tossing his jacket over his chair, he happily flopped onto his bed, glad to finally be home.

“God, that feels so good right now…”

The week had felt surprisingly long, and his Saturday hadn’t exactly gotten off to the best start, but he was determined to have fun with the rest of his weekend, even if that meant doing nothing but playing games until Monday.

“But I should probably get you cleaned off first, huh?” Yuto asked, pulling the hairpins out of his pocket and smiling as he looked them over. He really didn’t get why holding them felt so good, so...right, but he felt almost protective over them. It was a shame, he told himself, seeing how dirty and scuffed they looked, unsure of how much of that came from the street and how much of that was on the waitress, but, either way, it covered up their innate radiance, and that really didn’t sit right with him. They were so pretty, too. They didn’t deserve to just be shoved into someone’s pockets without a care in the world, or, worse still, left out on the street. No, they deserved to be worn and shown off, maybe he could-

“L-let’s clean you up!” he shouted, quickly getting his thoughts back on track as he headed over to his bathroom, dug out a cleaning solution, and carefully dabbed it onto the hairpins, before rubbing off every mark he could see.

It felt so good, seeing the results of his hard work as he cleaned them off. Though they looked almost grey under Gabriel’s care, their true, brilliant silver grew just a little clearer with each scuff that was lifted, shining just brighter and brighter in the light of the bathroom. That same comfort he’d felt earlier only grew stronger, too. He wasn’t sure what it was, really, but he felt endlessly proud once they’d been returned to their original, beautiful state.

With a smile, he walked back to his bedroom and put the hairpins down on his bedside table as he lay down to rest for a while, making sure there was no way they’d get damaged or dirtied while they were in his care.

Though he tried to busy himself with a game on his phone, he couldn’t help but glance over at them every so often, growing almost melancholic at the idea of returning them. It was the right thing to do, he knew, but they looked so pretty now, nothing like the way they were when he’d first picked them up. She clearly didn’t care much about them, but what else would he do with them? It wasn’t like he could put them on, so they...they had to go to someone who’d actually use them…right?

“But...why don’t I try them on?” he asked himself, his eyes widening the moment the words left his lips.

“Oh God, did I really just...say that?”

There...there was just no way, right? He was probably just getting tired or something. But still, it wasn’t the most absurd idea, was it? After all, he’d worked so hard to clean them. What harm was there in him at least getting a little bit of enjoyment out of them before he returned them to Gabriel, condemning them to wallow away in the depths of her pocket?

“Maybe it’s OK for...for a little bit. Just to make sure they still clip on OK. They...might’ve been damaged, after all,” he told himself, knowing fully well that they were in perfect condition.

He grabbed them off the table once more, and moved over to a nearby mirror, before starting to shyly slip them into his hair. It took a couple of tries for Yuto to get the first one on, his first attempts ending in failure as he tried to clip it to too little hair to support the weight of it. Once he’d gotten it figured out, though, the second one went on with ease, the clips proving more than functional, despite their mistreatment.

“There, perfe-ow!” Yuto exclaimed, quickly pulling his finger away and bringing it up to his face. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but something had caught on the clip as he went to let go, sending a jolt of pain through his hand. Looking at the finger, he was initially relieved to see that nothing seemed to be bleeding, but then noticed that something else was...off.

“W-were my nails always this long?” he asked, pulling up his other hand to compare.

“I-I know I haven’t trimmed them in a while, but there’s just no way they got like...like this, right?” His voice sounded more than a little shaky as he looked over his hands. The length was one thing, but he knew he’d never put any effort into keeping them well-groomed. “How...how the hell did they get so, so…?” He bit his tongue, holding back the word “pretty” as hard as he could, no matter how badly he wanted to say it. They were wonderfully cared for, trimmed into ever-so-slightly-pointed oval shapes, lacking any of his usual roughness. They even bore a healthier sheen than he’d ever seen on them, looking almost like they’d just been polished. The rest of his hands, too, seemed so much daintier now. His fingers had become long and slim, almost elegant, with pale, milky skin that looked, and felt, so much softer than it ever had before. He pulled back one of his sleeves, determined to see exactly how far...whatever was happening to him went, letting out a soft gasp as he was greeted by the sight of slender, soft arms, completely devoid of the hair he’d always been so self-conscious of.

“I’m just...confused, right? I nodded off when I was on my bed and...I’m dreaming. I’ve just gotta be… It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve dreamed about being...well, different.” For as much as he tried to tell himself this was all in his head, everything just felt so...real, so much more vivid than any of his fantasies. And through it all, the same feeling the hairclips had given him persisted, spreading through his entire being and enveloping his body in their comforting warmth.

He shook his head. If this was a dream, as much as he wanted to dwell in it a while longer, he knew he needed to wake himself up. He walked over to his bathroom sink, ran the faucet, and splashed his face with water, determined to shake aside any sleepiness he may have felt. Hastily turning the water off, he grabbed at a nearby towel and wiped his face dry, smiling as he faced his reflection, sure that everything would’ve gone back to-

“Th-they’re...golden…” he gasped, the towel slipping from his hands as he stared at the mirror, completely enraptured by the eyes that looked back at him.

“That...that’s just not possible. Nobody...nobody has eyes like that!” he yelled, rubbing his eyes and looking back at the mirror. His eyes had always been a fairly dusty brown, but, somehow, the irises he stared at now were a pure, brilliant gold, as bright and warm as the sun, surrounded by thick, luscious lashes.

“They’re gorgeous…” he muttered, completely taken in by their beauty. He was tempted to yell a dozen different things as he inched closer and closer to the mirror, vague thoughts rushing through his mind about how they were strange, or that they didn’t suit him. But those doubts vanished far faster than they appeared, losing out to the fact that, for the first time in his life, he felt proud about a part of his appearance. And there was nothing wrong with that, was there?

In fact, the longer he looked at the mirror, the more he felt like there was no reason he should ever feel even the least bit shy. The face staring back at him had slowly started to look less and less like the one he’d always worked so hard to avoid, so where was the shame in that? He watched eagerly as his skin softened and lightened just as it had on his hands earlier, any spots and stubble he had fading away, giving way to an even, milky tone. It was the features of his face changing that captivated him the most, though, all of the sharp, awkward angles softening into gentle curves, bringing a round, gentleness to his face that couldn’t help but make him smile.

That smile was made all the brighter by his eyes growing just a touch larger, showing off his delicate lashes and brilliant, golden eyes even more. His forehead grew as well, smoothing away any of lines he’d accumulated from years of worry in an instant, while his hair lost its usual inky blackness entirely. A warm, soft, faded lilac color rushed through it, before it began to grow out rapidly, long, silky locks flowing down his body, though the hairclips remained rooted firmly in place, much to his delight. Within seconds, his forehead was almost completely covered by soft bangs, while the rest of his hair only stopped growing once it had reached his lower back. A few stray hairs snuck into his shirt and tickled at his skin, pushing a pleasant, warm giggle out from his now much fuller, pinker lips.

She paused for the briefest moment, a small part of her surprised by the soft, gentle tone her laugh had taken on. Still, a much larger part had known, from the moment she first saw her golden irises, exactly what was happening to her, and her voice only made that increasingly clear.

“Ahaha, this is amazing!” she cried out excitedly, giggling once more at the delicate lilt that had entered her voice, giving her each and every word an almost melodic quality. “I...I hid this away for so long, hid away just how much I wanted something like this. But...it’s all really coming true, isn’t it?” she asked, the smile reflected in the mirror looking warmer and more sincere than it ever had before. “I’m a girl! A beautiful, beautiful girl!”

She couldn’t help but let out another giggle as she said that, feeling so light and happy for the first time in years, as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders, giddily noting that even they seemed cuter now, taking on a slender, narrow shape, rather than the broadness she’d been so accustomed to. In fact, her whole body seemed to get just a bit cuter in those moments, the room rising up around her as she became just a few inches shorter. It wasn’t a substantial difference; she’d, thankfully, never been very tall at all, but even that felt so incredible, so liberating to her, like she’d pushed through a barrier that had hounded her for years, her clothes steadily growing baggy against her much cuter frame.

“It’s OK if I take a peek, right? It’s my own body, so…” She bit her lip shyly, contemplating the idea of stripping right then and there, before completely giving into that urge, throwing caution to the wind. “Yep! No way I can’t look!” she cried out triumphantly, struggling for a moment to pull off a shirt that now felt heavy and unwieldy to her, before stepping out of pants that seemed all too eager to just slip straight down her legs.

Even though she wasn’t quite done, she was delighted by just how different everything already looked, not a stray hair to be found on a body that seemed so much softer and more huggable, taking on the same milky tone she’d grown so fond of. She was so eager, so remarkably giddy to see what came next, though, her chest tightening at the mere thought of how much cuter she’d be when everything was finished, how warm and happy her life was about to become. She put a hand to her chest, doing her best to calm down just a little, but as her fingers pressed against soft, supple flesh, her excitement shot through the roof once more, her gaze turning downward to see two breasts slowly rising up, growing fuller and rounder which each breath she took, delighted by the sight of her nipples turning pinker and puffing up. For as much as she tried to hold herself back, as she watched them grow steadily larger, she couldn’t help but cup them lovingly, hefting them up just as they began to grow heavy enough that they sagged ever so slightly under their own weight, a pleasant tingle rushing through her body as her nipples pressed into her palm.

“Ahaha, I must look like such a pervert!” she cried out, giving them a playful squeeze. “But that’s OK! I’m...I’m kinda stacked!” she yelled excitedly, letting go and watching them fall back into position, another warm, almost electric feeling engulfing her as they softly bounced.

“Gosh, I never figured I’d get so...so full!” she giggled, admiring her reflection once more with a wink. “I always figured...if...if I ever got a chance like this, that I’d end up pretty petite, but it looks like I’ll be a real bombshell, ahaha!”

She was pleased that, as her waist pinched in, leaving her with a soft, wonderfully sexy tummy, her assessment seemed to be totally accurate. She knew that, with how gorgeous she already was, she wouldn’t mind at all if the rest of her didn’t fill out to quite the same extent as her breasts, but as she put her hands on her hips just in time to feel them slowly push out until they were remarkably wide and full, she was certain that there wouldn’t be a single part of her that wouldn’t turn heads.

“Oooh, I’d definitely get that waitressing position if I applied now! But gosh, maybe I should set my sights even higher! I bet I could even become a model!”

Eager to follow everything that was happening to her as closely as possible, she moved her hands behind her, her fingers soon caressing softer, rounder cheeks than she’d ever been used to. She gently rubbed her butt as it began to swell up with soft, delicate weight until it was a perfect, full, and wonderfully cushy teardrop shape that she squeezed lovingly, adoring the way her hands sunk into her pillowy, supple flesh.

“Ehehehe, this really is incredible! I bet that, when everything finishes up, there won’t be an inch of me that’s anything short of stunning!”

She cast her gaze further downwards, just in time to watch as her legs grew just the slightest bit longer and her thighs steadily began to fill out, looking just as full and sexy as the rest of her body. Biting her lip gently, she pressed her legs against each other, delighting in how incredible the sensation of her thighs rubbing together made her feel. She’d been excited to watch every part of her body change, but even as her calves began to thin out, and her feet shrunk down to a far more petite size, she was too caught up on caressing her thighs and butt to notice anything else at all.

As she continued to rub her thighs together, soaking in their smoothness, she started to feel them pressing together more and more, while the tightness she felt between her legs began to fade, replaced instead with a deep, pleasant warmth that spread all the way up into her belly. Though it all felt so utterly incredible, as it all continued to build up within her, her head soon clouded with pleasure, and she grew rapidly less confident in her ability to stay on her own two feet. Slowly walking through to her bedroom, suddenly hyper-aware of every movement her blissfully smooth thighs made, she collapsed onto her bed and squeezed her legs together, tighter and tighter. She wasn’t sure she’d ever felt something quite this wonderful before. It was as if her body and soul were being filled with light, lovingly caressing every fiber of her being. Though her breathing grew increasingly ragged, she couldn’t hear it at all, her senses dulling as the light grew brighter and brighter, leaving her unable to focus on much of anything at all. In those moments, what few insecurities she still had faded away entirely as her surroundings grew dim, leaving her with nothing but the warm, wonderful pleasure of it all. She felt her breath catch in her throat for a moment as all the sensations she felt seemed to crash into her, threatening to drown her, until, as her legs started to lazily drift apart, her sense slowly returned to her, recognizing that the only sound in the room was the sound of her desperately panting for air.

She lay there for a while, content to bask in the afterglow of everything. Today had seen a dream she’d pushed so far down come bursting back to the forefront of her mind, ultimately being fulfilled in such a spectacular, wonderful way that a small part of her hardly believed it was real. Every other part of her, however, effortlessly silenced those doubts, and she giggled as she thought about the incredible turn her life had finally taken. As her breathing began to steady, she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to pick herself up from her bed. Maybe that would be a fitting enough end to the day: drifting off to sleep with a warm, pleasant smile on her face. She couldn’t remember a time she’d felt quite so complete. It was as if she was seeing everything in a whole new light, the world around her looking brighter and warmer than it ever really had before.

“But maybe…” she said dreamily, “that’s a little too bright for now, ehehe.”

As much as she wanted to go to sleep right then and there, she knew the light would be far too distracting for her to really drift off. Blearily picking herself up off the bed, she walked on over to her lightswitch and flipped it off.

But the room stayed bright, bathed in warm, comforting light.

“Is...the switch broken?” she asked, flicking it back on and watching as the room got just a little bit brighter. “No...it’s definitely working…” She flicked it off once more, checking to see if she’d left any of her other lights on, only to find that each and every one of them had been turned off. But still, she could see clearly, as if the light was somehow coming from...her. In fact, the more she looked around, the more plausible that somehow seemed, until she glanced upwards to see a bright, warm light, emanating from a wide, flat ring, floating just above her head.

“H-how...what is…? There’s no way this is real, right?!” she asked, panicking at the sight of what seemed to be, for all intents and purpose, an angel’s halo. Desperate to get a better look, she ran off to her bathroom once more, turning on her lights out of force of habit, and got a clear view of the halo that now floated directly above her. “A-am I some sort of angel?!” she asked, hesitantly poking at it, worried it would somehow burn her. It wobbled for a moment, as if she’d knocked it off-balance, but it quickly managed to stop itself, becoming completely still once more. “OK,_ this_ has to be a dream, right? There’s no way I can be an- mmmf…” as she spoke, she began to feel strangely cramped and tight. Bracing against the sink, she nearly slipped to the ground as her back and shoulders tensed up, before a pair of wings suddenly grew from her back, spreading wider and wider until they were easily twice the width of her shoulders, covered in feathers that were white as snow and wonderfully soft. Taking a deep breath, pleased, at the very least, with how much better she suddenly felt, she couldn’t help but grimace at her reflection. She was still stunningly beautiful, that much was true, but suddenly, the idea of showing that off seemed extremely difficult to her.

“C’mon! I’m...I’m not an angel, dammit! There’s no way I can go out with...with these!” she cried out, desperately willing them to go away.

Surprisingly, her pleading worked, and without the slightest bit of fanfare, they suddenly vanished from her body entirely. Pawing at her back nervously, she was delighted to feel that there wasn’t even the slightest trace of those wings, and the space above her head was, as she waved her hands around, completely clear. She seemed to be, much to her relief, a normal human once more. Ignoring her eyes and hair, of course, but she could explain that away easily if she needed to.

“They’re gone, I assure you.” A calm, even voice spoke, catching Yuto completely off-guard and forcing a loud, panicked yell from her lips as she jumped away from the sink. She pressed herself up against the wall of her bathroom and nervously turned her head to get a look at the intruder. Based on the voice alone, she wasn’t quite sure what she expected her uninvited guest to look like, but she was still baffled by the sight of a woman, just a few years older than herself, dressed up in a pristine, elegant butler outfit, with a pair of cross-shaped earrings that looked just like her hairpins. Beyond even that, however, what really caught Yuto’s attention was her hair, just a few shades darker than her own lilac locks, as well as her eyes, set in a deep, exotic amethyst color.

“Wh-who are you?! How’d you get into my apartment?!” Yuto shouted, her voice shaky and nervous despite her best efforts to sound confident.

“Ah, my humblest apologies for startling you, Milady,” she said, bowing deeply. “It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Martiel, butler to the highly esteemed Shiraha family. As for how I entered your apartment, I simply chose it as my point of entry into this world. It seemed more efficient than coming in through the front door.”

Yuto stared at her, still shaking like a leaf. For as much as Martiel had tried to reassure her, she didn’t feel even the slightest bit calmer.

“Y-you think I believe that?” Yuto asked, putting on the bravest face she possibly could. “All that stuff about coming from another world, and...and being a butler?! You just made that up!”

“Odd, I would think being a butler would be the lesser surprise,” Martiel responded, her tone staying flat and calm.

“That’s not the point!” Yuto yelled, stamping her foot on the ground.

“Oh my, your anger is rather magnificent, Milady. Though, with the way they quivered, that must put quite the strain on your breasts, does it not?” she asked, watching as Yuto’s face suddenly painted itself a bright, deep crimson.

Through her embarrassment as she struggled to cover herself up with her hands, Yuto could swear she heard Martiel’s breathing get just a little heavier, but she did her best to ignore that.

“Nonetheless, I must apologize once more. It was not my intention to startle Milady. If you would like to clothe yourself, I would be honored to assist you with that,” Martiel offered.

“I-I can get dressed myself!” Yuto cried out, walking past Martiel and heading straight to her closet, pulling out a loose pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt as Martiel looked on eagerly. “A-and you don’t have to watch me do it, either!”

Martiel let out the softest sigh, muttered a quiet “Very well, Milady,” and turned away from Yuto, who quickly slipped into her decidedly unflattering outfit.

“You can turn around now…” Yuto sighed. Martiel quickly complied, her expression turning dejected the moment she laid eyes on the clothes she’d picked out.

“My apologies, Milady. I cannot believe my foolish oversight. There were so many splendid outfits that would have fit you perfectly and highlighted your bountiful assets. Sadly, in my haste to greet you, it seems I forgot all of them at home.”

“Th-that’s fine!” Yuto shouted, torn between not wanting to try on anything some strange intruder brought for her and finding herself remarkably tempted by the idea of getting something a little cuter or sexier to wear. Though she didn’t like someone she’d just met talking about her figure like that, she really did want to show off, just a little…

“And what’s with you, anyway?! Bursting into someone else’s home and spouting off all that crap?! And why do you keep calling me ‘Milady?!’ We don’t know each other.”

“As I said, I am Martiel, a butler to the highly esteemed-”

“I already heard that part!”

“And it’s all still true,” Martiel stated, matter-of-factly.

Yuto let out a heavy, frustrated sigh, realizing that shouting wasn’t going to get her anywhere. “Fine. Let’s assume it’s true. That doesn’t tell me anything about the ‘Milady’ stuff, and I still don’t know why you’re actually here. For all I know, you could just be some weird thief!”

“Your possessions are none of my concern, I assure you. This might take some time, so if it’s no trouble, could we sit down together, Milady?”

“Fine,” Yuto huffed, walking Martiel over to her couch and plopping herself down. Martiel followed suit and sat right next to her, just a little closer to Yuto than she’d have liked. “Now let’s get to it, OK? It feels like we’ve been running in circles…”

“Certainly, Milady. I could never refuse a request from you.”

“Mhmm, just get to it,” Yuto repeated, drumming her fingers against the couch’s armrest impatiently.

Martiel cleared her throat, before immediately launching into an explanation.

“As you may have surmised, though you were once human, it appears you came into contact with an object imbued with divine energy, which, if I had to guess, are the hairpins that you’re currently wearing. Am I correct?”

“Y-yeah, I guess so…” Yuto stammered, thinking back on how...good she’d felt just getting to touch them. At least she was finally beginning to understand why.

“They suit Milady wonderfully,” Martiel said, her tone still as calm and even as ever.

“Th-thanks.” Yuto felt a blush creeping into her cheeks, happy to receive a compliment that, for once, had nothing to do with her body.

“Regardless, as a result of your actions, those energies flowed from the hairpins directly into your body, changing you into a divine being.”

“An angel?” Yuto asked, a part of her wanting to dismiss everything she’d just been told, but knowing she had nothing she could counter it with.

“That’s correct, Milady. Though you’ve tucked them away for the time being, your halo and wings are the most immediately apparent proof of this, though you and I share certain angelic characteristics that no human would naturally possess,” she stated, grabbing a lock of her hair in her gloved hand and rubbing it between her fingers.

“S-so you’re one too then? An angel?”

“Most astute, Milady. If you would like, though I normally keep them hidden, I could show you my wings and halo, if that would assuage your doubts.”

“No, no. I believe you…” Yuto sighed. After the shock she’d just had, she wasn’t sure she wanted to see anything like that again anytime soon. “So you’re here because I turned into an angel?”

Martiel gave a slight nod, her expression never once shifting in the slightest. “We detected the creation of a divine being on Earth, surmised what may have occurred, and I was sent here to verify that our assumptions were accurate.”

“I...get the feeling I know the answer, but sent here from...where, exactly?”

“Heaven,” Martiel stated as flatly as possible, certain that she’d given a perfectly satisfactory answer.

“Right, sure, of course,” Yuto muttered, doing her best to take what many would see as Earth-shattering revelations in stride, her pride in her body making it much easier to accept the existence of angels than it would be otherwise. “Well, you’ve verified it. So you can go back now, right? I was about to go to sleep, so I’d really appreciate it if you just...y’know, left.”

“My apologies, Milady. Though I take no pleasure in refusing a request from you, I am to remain by your side for the time being.”

“Yeah, should’ve figured…”

“Heaven’s administration prides itself on being able to efficiently deal with abnormal occurrences such as these, and as a result, I’ve been sent as an envoy on their behalf.”

“T-to deal with me?” Yuto asked, her mind racing with all sorts of horrible possibilities as to what that could mean, desperately hoping that none of them were true.

“My apologies for my poor choice of words. You will not be harmed in any way, nor will you face any unpleasant consequences. There was, I am certain, no way you would have been able to tell what would happen when you found the divine objects.”

Yuto breathed a sigh of relief. “So what’ll you do with me, then?”

“Ah, about that. I come to you today not only as an envoy of Heaven, but also as butler to the esteemed Shiraha family. An angel cannot simply be created with no oversight from Heaven, and so, to ensure you grow and prosper as a divine being, the Shiraha family has graciously offered to take you in as their daughter.”

Yuto froze for a moment, not entirely sure she’d heard all that correctly. “Martiel?” she asked, the reason for the title she’d given Yuto suddenly clicking in her head.

“Yes, Milady?”

“Bear with me here.”

“Certainly, Milady.”

“Did I just hear you say that...I’m being taken in by some angel family, as their daughter?”

“Not merely any family, Milady, the Shiraha family, but, yes, correct. They have even so graciously chosen an Angelic name for you, befitting of someone of your upbringing.”

“My upbringing was here, on Earth! Not as part of some stuffy angel family!”

“The human you once were may have come from Earth, but you aren’t human at all anymore, Milady. It wouldn’t do for an angel to have a human’s name.”

Yuto wanted to say something in response, but the words caught in her throat. She wasn’t entirely sure she really wanted to argue in favor of a name that she’d never really liked in the first place.

“From this day forward, your name will be Raphiel Ainsworth Shiraha, daughter of the esteemed Shiraha family.”

“R-Raphiel…” She let the name hang in the air, something about her saying it giving it more power than when Martiel had just moments earlier. It sounded very important, very cocky and elegant. Very...her.

“Splendid, is it not? Truly, they have chosen a name that so perfectly suits your beauty, Milady.”

Raphiel, for her part, found it hard to argue with the sentiment, feeling herself well up with pride.

“Mhmm, it’s wonderful!” Raphiel said, smiling for the first time since Martiel had arrived. For as strange as everything she’d heard was, the name was the one part of all this that she had no trouble accepting.

“I’m delighted to see you take to it so well, Milady. Though your manner isn’t quite befitting of the Shiraha family, wearing the Shiraha name so proudly is a tremendous step forward.

“What’s wrong with the way I act?” Raphiel huffed, angrily.

“Milady is marvelous no matter what she may do or how she may act, however…”

“However?!”

“It’s very clear that you were a child of Earth. But that shouldn’t pose any problem. The Shiraha family will still welcome you with open arms. You are, after all, still a trainee.”

“A...a trainee?”

“Correct, Milady. All beings of Heaven must be properly trained before they can be considered full-fledged angels.”

“No thank you! I’ll be OK just...not training as one! You can take away the wings and halo if you want!”

“I’m afraid that isn’t possible, Milady. Heaven’s administration wouldn’t allow you to drop out of your training so easily, and especially not before it’s even begun.”

“Fine then! I’ll just train in my free time. Sound good?”

“I’m afraid not, Milady. The rules are very clear on this matter. ‘All divine beings, regardless of origin, must be properly trained under the tutelage of a licensed instructor, lest their very existence be deemed an affront to the Almighty.’”

“Th-that’s kind of...intense…” Raphiel murmured, her head beading with cold sweat.

“They are quite old rules, Milady, and their language has not been adjusted with the times. However, their spirit is still ironclad, so I must remain insistent that you accompany me to Heaven.”

“OK then, I’ll train full-time, but...y’know, here!” Raphiel protested, not wanting to leave any part of her life behind.

“Part of your curriculum will task you with living on Earth-”

“Perfect! So we don’t need to go up to Heaven at all! You can just live here instead!” Raphiel shouted excitedly, cutting Martiel off completely.

“-but that won’t be for quite some time, and you’d need to be moved into an entirely new residence. Staying as you are now could cause mass panic amongst humankind.”

“S-so, you mean…”

“Are you ready to go, Milady?”

“N-no, not at all!”

“I’m afraid we cannot delay any longer, Milady. Please, do not worry, I shall remain at your side and assist you as you adjust to your life in Heaven.”

“At least let me pack!” Raphiel shouted, as a blindingly bright light slowly began to fill the room.

“Human possessions will not be allowed into Heaven.” Martiel spoke flatly, though her voice grew distant as the light grew brighter still. “But please do not fret, the Shiraha family will have everything you could possibly desire.”

“I-I wasn’t even a Shiraha until a damn minute ago!” she shouted.

“And I shall personally attend to molding you into a model young lady. In no time at all, you will be a proud addition to the Shiraha family, I assure you.”

Raphiel tried to shout something back in response, desperate to tell her that she was fine just the way she was, but what little sound escaped her lips grew softer and softer as her surroundings faded away entirely, the bright, warm light that filled her apartment taking her and Martiel further away than she could ever imagine.

~~~

“Wow, Miss Raphi!” a small, shy voice chirped, the excitement in her voice already giving her a slight headache.

“Now now, Tapris, it’s ‘Raphiel,’ not ‘Raphi,’” Raphiel cheerily replied, the tone of her voice and her serene smile completely concealing even the slightest hint of annoyance as she looked away from the posted exam results and down to the classmate at her side.

“Ah! I’m so sorry, Miss Raphi! Er, I mean, Miss Raphiel! It’s just amazing, you’re at the top of the class again! And by so much!”

“Well,” Raphiel chuckled, her soft, pleasant giggle not entirely forced, but designed to hide the pride that had begun swelling her chest at the praise, “thank you very much Tapris. I suppose it is a very nice score, but we angels must be humble, you know?”

“That’s definitely true…” Tapris twiddled her thumbs, as if she was embarrassed by her earlier excitement, before it quickly surged up again. “But still, I heard some of the instructors say that you did so well, you’ll be graduating early! Gosh, you really are incredible, Miss Raphiel!”

“Mmm, it’s true, I will be graduating ahead of schedule, but I hardly think that makes me any better than any of the other trainees.”

“Oh wow, even your humility is amazing, Miss Raphiel! There’s no way I can match up to you! Gosh, only two years of study and you’ve already surpassed me!” Tapris cried out breathlessly, as Raphiel’s own smile seemed to grow even warmer, her chest welling up with pride as more and more praise was heaped upon her.

She loved this, and though her time in Heaven had no shortage of frustrations, getting her very own cheerleader in the form of the peppy, hardworking Tapris certainly wasn’t one of them. There was something endlessly enjoyable about how excited she got just to be in Raphiel’s presence.

“Now now, that’s no way to think, is it? You did well yourself, after all!” Raphiel reassured her, pointing toward Tapris’ name on the list of results, just a few ranks below her own. “With just a bit more effort, I’m certain that you could surpass me with ease.”

“M-Miss Raphi! I-I...awawawa…” she trailed off, her words growing indistinct as a blush steadily began to paint itself onto her cheeks. This was, without a doubt, Raphiel’s favorite part of spending time with Tapris. With just the slightest bit of praise, she’d get so worked up she could hardly think straight at all, becoming so endlessly happy that she couldn’t even begin to try and hide it. She was just so easy to tease, and was clearly so enamored with Raphiel, that she made sure to go out of her way to get her flustered at just about every possible opportunity.

“Ufufu, that’s Raphiel, remember?” Raphiel asked, smiling serenely as she put a hand up to Tapris’ face, shifting her bangs to the side before leaning in and giving her a quick, gentle kiss on the forehead.

“C-c-c-certainly, Miss Raphiel!” Tapris shouted, working so hard to keep herself from just passing out right then and there that steam practically shot out of her ears.

“And if you keep working hard, we’ll be on Earth together in short order! Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

“Mhmm!” Tapris nodded vigorously, still too flustered to even begin to say anything more than that.

“So keep working hard, OK? I know we’ll be far away from each other, but you can contact me anytime you require any sort of assistance from me. It’s only right for an angel to help her peers, after all.”

“Y-y-yes, Miss Raphiel!”

“It’s such a delight to see you get so excited, Tapris!” Raphiel said, her tone as cheerful and elegant as ever, “But unfortunately, I’ll have to take my leave. Martiel will be serving dinner soon, and I would love to arrive home in time to be able to assist her with that. She works so hard for us, after all!”

“Ohhhh wow, I didn’t know you could cook, Miss Raphiel! I suppose I should’ve guessed as much, though! Miss Raphiel, would you mind if I cooked for you one day? I bet I’m not as good as you or Martiel, but I’m working hard to get better!”

“It would be an honor, Tapris. I have no doubt that anything you would serve me would be nothing short of delicious.” Raphiel didn’t let it show through her smile in the slightest, but a growing part of her really wanted to just tell Tapris that she was heading home and leave the conversation right then and there.

“Ahaha, thank you so much, Miss Raphiel! Oh, I’m sorry if I’m keeping you!”

“Ufufu! Not at all!” Raphiel laughed, as a slight -_ very slight_ \- frown line appeared on her forehead, totally imperceptible to all but the most keenly observant.

“Still, I need to get home, too! I’ve got chores to take care of!”

“Oh my! It wouldn’t be right to leave those unattended to, then!”

“Mhmm!” Tapris nodded. “That’s why you’re the top student, Miss Raphiel! But it’s been wonderful talking to you! I’ll see you soon!” she smiled happily.

“Have a wonderful afternoon!” Raphiel smiled, watching as Tapris gave a slight bow before turning and dashing towards the school gates, eager to return home. She stopped only to give Raphiel one last enthusiastic wave, which she gracefully returned, before darting off in the direction of her house.

“She certainly is enthusiastic,” Raphiel said to herself, giggling softly as she began to make her own way home.

As she strolled down the long, winding path that lead to the Shiraha estate, a sigh that was far more wistful than she’d intended escaped her lips. “Another beautiful day…” The scenery around her was absolutely stunning, the sort of thing that would be photographed and made into a mass-produced postcard if she were back on Earth, but Raphiel only felt unease, the scenery looking exactly the same as it had the first day she’d come to Heaven.

Catching herself, she cleared her throat, grateful that nobody else was around to see her, then adorned her usual, angelic smile once more, careful to not let anything else show through it.

The two years she’d spent since first arriving in Heaven had certainly been pleasant, but she’d be lying if she tried to stretch that any further into “enjoyable.” In truth, Heaven was hardly the most eventful place, and while she now fit in as well as any angel who’d been born and raised there, she really did miss just how lively the city she’d once lived in could be. Not that she’d ever let anyone know about that, of course. She’d come so far since that day, after all…

“Wh-where are we?!” Raphiel shouted, covering her nude body desperately as the light that surrounded her faded away, leaving her standing in the courtyard of a large, opulent mansion. Right by her side, Martiel looked on at her with what Raphiel could swear seemed to be an almost hungry expression, just barely masked by her stoicism.

“You must be confused after traveling so far, Milady. We are, as you can likely see,” Martiel gestured to the garden around her, which Raphiel was mostly pleased to note was completely devoid of other people, “within Heaven’s domain. More specifically, we are on the grounds of the Shiraha family estate. Your new home.”

“S-so why don’t I have any clothes?!” she barked, wearing a blush far deeper than either of them knew to be possible.

“Ah, perhaps rest is in order. Though I do not intend to be rude, Milady, I believe I did inform you that human creations were not to be brought into Heaven.”

“I...I thought you’d let me keep my clothes, at least!”

“There is no need to fret, Milady.” Raphiel could swear she saw her lips curl ever so slightly into a smile, but she was too caught up in covering herself to give it much thought. “Those clothes were far from suitable for a body quite as wondrous as yours. Though, truly, I am certain there is nothing that you would look any less than gorgeous wearing.”

“G-get to the point already!”

“I once worked as a tailor, and I believe I have clothes that will bring attention to your beauty in a way that little else ever could.”

Raphiel gritted her teeth as hard as she could. Though it was clear as day on her face, she was doing her absolute best to keep her anger at bay as she spoke. “That’s...that’s fine, Martiel. Just...please, can we go inside?!”

Martiel simply bowed in response, walking Raphiel up to the room she’d prepared for her with surprising haste, not that Raphiel minded in the least. Though she was far too embarrassed to really take it in, she was, from the moment she stepped through the front door of the estate, completely awed by how...incredible it all was. Martiel had told her that she’d have all of her needs more than met during her time in Heaven, but she’d hardly expected her new home to be so extravagant.

Still, in those moments, she was mostly just focused on getting dressed. So she matched Martiel’s clip as best as she could, taking the outfit her butler presented her, a lovely, pure white sundress, without the slightest bit of hesitation. Though it was quickly becoming clear just how...into her that Martiel really was, she found it hard to disagree with just how well the outfit suited her, smiling when she caught her reflection in the mirror despite everything she’d been through.

“You look just as beautiful as I imagined you would, Milady.”

“Y-yeah, of course I do!” Raphiel said, feeling surprisingly cocky. “If I’ve gotta be a Shiraha, it only seems proper that I look my best, right?”

“That is quite true, Milady, even if your phrasing leaves something to be desired. It’s of little consequence, though; now that you are fully clothed, we are ready to begin your training at any time. It should only take a mere year or two and you’ll be properly instructed in etiquette and the manners most befitting a women of your stature.”

Raphiel gulped, a chill running down her spine. “Y-year or two…?”

True to her word, Martiel spent the next two years always at Raphiel’s side, instructing her in what was, in her words, “the proper way a Shiraha should act.” Raphiel did her fair share of grumbling, of course, but, buoyed by her satisfaction in her new body and the excess of amenities she suddenly found herself surrounded by, she found herself slowly but surely settling into a content routine, to the extent that even thinking about how she’d spoken back then made her skin crawl. She’d never, ever want to at this point, but she knew that, even if she tried, there was absolutely no way she’d be able to act the way she had during her time on Earth by now. She was, through and through, Raphiel Ainsworth Shiraha, a member of one of Heaven’s most esteemed families, and no self-respecting angel would exhibit any part of the more unfortunate behaviors she’d once so carelessly displayed.

All of that said, there was one thing Raphiel really hadn’t expected when she first arrived in Heaven: how dreadfully boring it all was.

“Good afternoon, Milady,” Martiel bowed as Raphiel entered the estate, shutting the door firmly behind her. “I trust that you had a pleasant day at school?”

“Indeed I did, Martiel!” Raphiel replied cheerfully, making a beeline for her bedroom, with Martiel following closely behind. “I was awarded the highest rank in our class for the second year in a row.”

“Congratulations are certainly in order, though I expected no less from Milady. Though our first few months together may have shown some difficulty, you have truly demonstrated your grace and natural talents every day since.”

“Thank you very much, Martiel,” Raphiel smiled, giggling softly. “Though I’m not sure I deserve such wonderful praise!”

“You most certainly do, Milady,” Martiel said, giving a very, very slight smile, though Raphiel picked up on it with ease.

“I certainly appreciate the kind words!” Raphiel said, sitting down on the side of her luxuriously soft, absolutely gigantic bed. “Martiel, would you mind running a bath for me? I would love to relax for a moment before dining with you for the evening.”

“Certainly, Milady.”

Martiel bowed, walking through to the en suite bathroom and beginning to fill the tub, while Raphiel lay back on her bed, listlessly staring at the ceiling as she grew lost in her thoughts.

Once she’d acclimated to her life in Heaven, Raphiel had found the idea of giving voice to her complaints surprisingly distasteful, so she never really did, but with each day that passed her by, her boredom only grew more and more intense.

_How is everyone okay with all of this...nothing…?_

She really didn’t understand it. Heaven was so empty of...well, anything to do. Everyone was so, so nice. So warm and friendly and loving and kind and...that was it. Even the weather never changed, everything locked into feeling like a perfectly pleasant, sunny spring day.

_There’s just no variety at all, nothing unexpected…_

Her house was amazing, so much bigger than the dingy, cluttered apartment she’d once called home, but, for all the things that mattered in the mansion, it might as well have been nothing more than a bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen. Meanwhile, back on Earth, her apartment had no shortage of distractions. She had a phone, a computer, numerous videogames, piles of manga, stacks of movies and anime to watch at any time. Here she had the few dusty novels that her family kept in a massive library full of dusty, dull history books that, outside of feigning interest during her lessons, Raphiel couldn’t care less about.

She was never the most popular person in her old life, but she had enough friends, or at least acquaintances, that she never really felt alone, like she could always find someone to talk to if she really needed it. Now, though, she had a butler who, while undeniably loving and kind to her, very obviously had a strong lust for her that she had no idea how to deal with. For how good her grades were and for how much everyone talked up the Shiraha family, none of the girls who flocked around her in school felt genuine at all, like they just wanted to be around her for superficial reasons. The only one who didn’t was Tapris, who, while undeniably very sweet, just wasn’t someone Raphiel could share her boredom with at all. She could tell her what had happened to her and she’d probably just stand in awe of “Miss Raphiel’s” great imagination. And if she tried to cut loose at all with her...well, she just couldn’t picture it in the slightest.

Raphiel wasn’t even aware that she was frowning now, her cheeks puffed up in frustration as she tried to work through the problem of her boredom, the same problem she’d been grappling with for just about two years now. She also wasn’t aware that Martiel was watching over her, peeking in from the doorway of the bathroom.

Martiel was all-too-aware of how empty Raphiel looked when she was sure no one else was around to see, and, though her efforts had gotten her nowhere so far, she was prepared to continue doing anything and everything in her power to relieve her of the boredom shackling her down. She loved Raphiel so, so much after all; there was no way she could leave her to bear her cross alone.

Stepping out from the doorway, she walked closer to the bed, her altruism slipping as she noted excitedly that Raphiel’s shirt had ridden up enough to give her a peek at her pale, soft, sexy tummy, though none of that excitement showed on her face at all.

“Milady, your bath has been prepared.”

Raphiel hastily picked herself up off the bed.

“Oh my, thank you very much, Martiel!” The serene smile she’d grown so accustomed to wearing had returned to her face, looking just as sincere and kind as it always did.

She walked through to the bathroom without another word, with Martiel following closely behind, stepping into the room with her and shutting the door behind them both.

“Martiel, I will be bathing now.”

“You most certainly will, Milady. I would be honored to take your used clothes from you so that I may clean them for you at a later time.”

“No thank you, Martiel!”

“I thought it would be best if we bathed together. Sharing a private, intimate moment will better allow me to monitor Milady’s personal growth.”

“My personal growth?” Raphiel asked, hiding her confusion with little trouble.

“Indeed. I have spent the last two years observing the development of Milady’s body, such as the weight and shape of her breasts, the roundness of her bottom, the plumpness of her-”

“I will be taking my bath alone, thank you very much, Martiel! I would appreciate it if you would please step outside for the time being!” she cut her off, replying as cheerfully as ever.

Martiel stared at her for a moment, before replying with a calm “Very well, Milady” and stepping outside. As Raphiel stripped down, Martiel waited patiently outside the door, a slight smile appearing on her face as she thought back on the wonderful sight she’d just witnessed.

“Ah, Milady’s anger is truly remarkable.” She smiled softly, knowing that the tiny, almost imperceptibly slight frown line that had appeared Raphi’s forehead as she told her to leave was a sign that she’d grown deeply, deeply frustrated. The thought excited her to her very core.

Raphi, meanwhile, lowered herself into the bathtub with a surprisingly genuine smile, letting out a long, heavy sigh. For as dull as the majority of her days had become, she had to admit that Martiel’s baths were nothing short of luxurious, enough so that all of her boredom, for a time, at least, completely melted away. By the time the water began to cool and she pulled herself out of the bath, she felt just a little less weary and empty, and that had to be worth something, at least.

“Martiel?” she called, opening the door just enough for her to pop her head out and call for her butler.

“Yes, Milady? Have you decided to let me bathe with you after all?”

“Ufufu, not today, Martiel. The water’s already cold, after all.”

“I understand, Milady,” Martiel replied, hiding her disappointment expertly. “I have a change of clothes prepared, if that is what you called on me for, Milady.”

“Ah, wonderful! Thank you very much, Martiel!”

Martiel approached the bathroom and handed the clothes to Raphiel, who took them as quickly as she could before immediately shutting the door, cutting off the butler’s extremely obvious attempts to peek at her body.

“Milady, I am more than happy to dress you myself, if you would allow me the privi-”

“Your dedication is commendable, Martiel!” Raphiel giggled, raising her voice just enough to ensure that there was no way Martiel could pretend she hadn’t heard her through the door. “The outfit is simple enough that I can put it on alone with no trouble whatsoever!”

“...Yes, Milady.”

“I must thank you, Martiel.” Raphiel opened the bathroom door, a smile on her face, and stepped outside the moment she was fully dressed. “You always pick such beautiful outfits for me to wear. You have such a keen eye for fashion, I’m surprised that you never seem to wear any of them yourself!”

“Do I have permission to wear your used clothes, Milady?” Martiel asked, her voice raising as close to a shout as she could possibly muster.

“Absolutely not, and I’m certain there will never come a time when I feel the need to bestow you with such permissions!”

“...Very well, Milady. Shall I escort you to the dining room?”

“That would be lovely, Martiel.” Raphiel curtsied, allowing Martiel to take the lead, as she followed close behind. Mere seconds after they’d entered the room, Martiel had laid out a veritable feast for the both of them, handily demonstrating her remarkable efficiency when it came to assisting with any of Raphiel’s needs.

“My parents won’t be dining with us this evening, I assume?”

“I’m afraid not, Milady. Though I’ve not been informed of the particulars of their arrangement, I was told not to expect them home for several weeks.”

Raphiel just nodded as she and Martiel got started on the meal she’d prepared. She’d hardly spoken to either of her new parents since her arrival in Heaven, so this was hardly out of the ordinary.

“Milady?”

“Yes, Martiel?”

“I was hoping that we could perhaps discuss something that has been on my mind for quite some time. Would that be alright with you, Milady?”

“Certainly! Ufufu, Martiel, you’re practically family! You don’t need permission to confide in me when something is weighing on you.” Raphiel giggled, taking a small sip of water.

“Ah, well, perhaps it is more accurate to say that it is not something weighing on me, but rather, something that has been weighing on you, Milady.”

“Weighing on...me, you say?” she asked, pausing slightly as she tried to keep herself steady. “There is nothing at all that has been ailing me, Martiel. I have been far too consumed in my studies for that, ufufu!”

“Forgive me for speaking out of turn, and for being far more direct than I normally would be, but, circumstances being what they are, I would be remiss if I didn’t address this properly. Milady, for as commendable as your dedication to your training has been, it has become clear that there is simply something that life in the Shiraha house, or perhaps in Heaven’s own domain, cannot provide you. You have been overcome by a deep and powerful malaise, Milady, and I can no longer, in good conscious, allow such a besieged heart to suffer underneath so serene a smile.”

Raphiel almost choked at that.

“Whatever do you mean, Martiel? I’ve been truly fortunate to lead such a wonderful life as the Shiraha family’s sole heir, and my classes have gone so remarkably well ever since I began my tutelage! I have you and Tapris keeping me company every single day, how could I ever feel any sort of…’malaise,’ as you put it?” Raphiel only noticed by the time she’d finished speaking, but all of her words had poured out of her far faster than they ever usually did, frantically trying to hide just how nervous she suddenly felt.

“I would never suggest that you are anything less than a remarkably talented, graceful, gorgeous, voluptuous, sexy-”

“Martiel, I believe you’ve veered away from what it was you were trying to say!” Raphiel cleared her throat, putting on a warm smile once more.

“My apologies, Milady,” Martiel replied, taking a large sip from her own drink before continuing. “I would never dare to suggest you are, or ever were, anything less than the angel I have spent every day of the past two years assisting. Though you may not have realized it, I truly do believe you have always carried the spirit of a Shiraha.”

Raphiel just stared at her, unsure of what to say, unaware of her smile softening just a little at Martiel’s kind words.

“With all that said, I do believe that your time on Earth has left you with certain desires that, while perfectly healthy and understandable, simply cannot be found in the lifestyle you lead today.”

“Martiel, we haven’t spoken about that in well over a year. How could it possibly be affecting me today?”

“Not to go against Milady’s opinion, but that seems to be part of what has brought about this malaise. You have been so thoroughly removed from parts of your life that gave you so much entertainment and happiness that the distance has started to take its toll on your very psyche.”

“I-is that so?”

“I believe so, Milady. While Tapris will always be there for you as a dear friend, and I as your servant, there are times where I am certain that you long to be able to experience such comforts once more.”

“N-nonsense, Martiel. A Shiraha certainly wouldn’t engage in such vices.” Raphiel’s smile cracked just a little, and she stuttered for the first time in well over a year, completely caught off-guard by how thoroughly Martiel seemed to understand a part of her she’d shown to nobody else.

“Your parents would not, that much is true, but I would hardly say that you are identical to them. You are the sole person who can ascertain what makes you happy, Milady, and it would appear that casting aside those comforts has worked strongly against that happiness.”

“But...even if that much is true, being a Shiraha truly does bring me happiness, Martiel! I know...I know now that you’ve seen moments where that doesn’t seem to be the truth, but I honestly can’t imagine going back to my old mannerisms. There is a lot I do miss about my old life on Earth, sometimes so much that it hurts, but I love who I’ve become and I’d never sacrifice that for some amusement…”

“Milady, you seem to be under a misconception,” Martiel said, smiling warmly at Raphiel. “You are setting up those two ideals, the you that you are today and the enjoyments of your past, as diametric opposites, when, in reality, the only force preventing them from being one and the same is yourself.”

“What do you...what do you mean, Martiel?”

“I mean, Milady, that there is no reason that indulging in the pleasures you found on Earth would in any way invalidate the lady you are today. To the contrary, the true mark of woman of noble stature is the ability to shape reality around her own tastes, bringing refinement to what would, on a more common person, be considered a quirk or even a character defect. You have set in your mind two Raphiels, and while I shudder in delight at the thought, there need only be one.”

“Martiel, I…I’m not sure what to say.”

She trailed off, completely taken aback by everything she had just heard.

“That is not an issue in the slightest, Milady. There are times when even I find myself at a loss for words, and given how personal our discussion has become, it only seems fair that you give yourself a moment to find your footing once more. For now, Milady, I simply wished to tell you that I have observed your struggle for quite some time, and to show you that I will do everything in my power to see you find your happiness once more.”

“But...how, Martiel? My parents...no, Heaven itself would forbid those indulgences entirely.”

“That may be the case, Milady, however…” she paused for a moment, her expression shifting ever so slightly, looking just a touch more focused and serious than it usually did, “if it is for you, I would certainly be willing to bend a few rules. Though it may seem impossible to most, I am well aware of more than a few ways to sneak anything of my choosing into Heaven’s domain.”

Raphiel’s smile returned in full force at that, the idea of going against Heaven’s rules and regulations enticing her far more than she would ever freely admit, her delight shocking even herself a little.

“Goodness, Martiel! I had no idea you were willing to go to such lengths for me! I do appreciate your kindness, but are certain you wouldn’t be in trouble were word of this to get out?” she asked, her refinement returning to her voice as her mood started to improve at even the faintest suggestion of entertainment returning to her drab life.

“Not at all, Milady. Lest you forget, I am a servant of the Shiraha family, and, as such, failure is not an option. Even if something were to happen, the considerable influence of the family’s name alone would shield both you and I from any repercussions.”

“My, oh my, Martiel. You sound quite determined all of a sudden…”

“As I said, I would gladly do anything for you, Milady.”

“Then…” Raphiel started, fidgeting her fingers under the table, “if you do not mind, I have a request.”

“But of course,” Martiel responded, her eyes sparkling.

“Well, I was rather fond of the various amenities I had in my old apartment. It would simply be wonderful I could have something like I used to have, perhaps some video game, or even some manga to read.”

Martiel paused for a moment, thinking back on that night in Raphiel’s former apartment. Her memory of the evening was completely clear, but that did little to ease her comprehension of everything she’d seen there. The apartment was cluttered and messy, filled to the brim with all sorts of things Martiel was certain delighted Raphiel to no end, but for the life of her, she had no idea what any of them really were. It had been so very long since she’d been to Earth for any substantial length of time, and she’d certainly never seen anything like that within Heaven’s domain.

Still, Raphiel seemed so delighted by her offer, and she wasn’t going to let her down now.

“Reading material and a plaything. I understand, Milady.”

“Wonderful, Martiel! Is there anything I can do to assist you?”

“Milady, your offer is most gracious, but please do not worry. I shall travel to Earth once we have finished our meal, and I will return as quickly as I possibly can.”

Raphiel smiled at Martiel with the most genuine smile she’d given in all of her time in Heaven. Feeling like a great weight was starting to lift from her shoulders, she looked back to her food, ignoring the slightly heavier breathing of her butler, and continued to eat, certain that, somehow, the food was just a little bit tastier now.

~~~

“Miss Raphi! Miss Raphi!” Tapris called, chasing after Raphiel with a wide, happy smile on her face.

Raphiel let out a soft sigh, before turning and smiling back at her warmly, only mildly frustrated that she’d hardly been able to take three steps past the school gate before being interrupted. “Ufufu, you seem to be in particularly high spirits today, Tapris. It’s so good to see you, but please, do try and remember that my name is ‘Raphiel,’ not ‘Raphi.’”

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry, Miss Raphiel! I just haven’t had a chance to talk to you all day, so I really wanted to say hi before you headed home!”

“Oh my, that’s very sweet of you, Tapris! I trust that your day has been pleasant so far?”

“Ehehe, yeah, it’s been great! I hope yours has, too! You seem just a little happier than usual today, Miss Raphiel!”

“Oh? Do I not normally seem happy to you, Tapris?”

“Oh no, not at all! It just feels like...hmmm…” She crossed her arms thoughtfully, doing her best to think of how to say what was on her mind, her eyes lighting up as the words popped into her head. “It’s like your smile’s gotten extra radiant! Like something really wonderful happened to you!”

Raphiel let out a breath she wasn’t even aware that she’d been holding, relieved that Tapris hadn’t seen through her usual smile so easily. Not that she had much reason to worry. Tapris had always been so sweet and sincere that if she really had suspected something was wrong, Raphiel was certain she’d have clung tightly to her and done everything in her power to make it better again.

“Ufufu, thank you very much, Tapris! Martiel and I did have a particularly splendid evening together yesterday. I suppose that must have buoyed my spirits even more than I realized!”

“Oh yeah, you mentioned you were cooking with her! I bet it turned out wonderfully, Miss Raphiel.”

“It most certainly did, ufufu! Martiel’s always been so very talented in the kitchen, I feel truly honored to be able to learn from someone as capable as herself,” she lied. “That said, I’m still eagerly awaiting the meal you promised to make me one day, Tapris.”

“Ehehehe… Gosh, Miss Raphi! I didn’t think you’d remember at all!”

“‘Raphiel.’” she quickly corrected, adding, “But of course I remember! My very best friend, promising me a home-cooked meal? Why, the thought has scarcely left my mind since the moment you first extended your offer.”

“B-b-b-best friend?!” Tapris stuttered, her face turning the same red it always did whenever Raphiel gave her any kind of compliment whatsoever.

“Indeed!” Raphiel smiled, bending down and giving her a quick peck on the cheek. “You’ve filled so many of my days with such a great deal of warmth, after all.”

“Oh gosh oh gosh! Miss Raphiel, you’re extra amazing today, ehehehehe….” Though her sentence began as an excited shout, it quickly grew softer and dreamier as she became increasingly flustered by the girl she so deeply loved and admired.

She was definitely laying things on even thicker than usual, but Raphiel was in such a good mood that she struggled to hold back. If she wasn’t so eager to see Martiel again, she’d have likely spent the entire afternoon relaxing with Tapris like this.

“I do wish I could stay longer, Tapris, but I must be going. I promised Martiel I would cook again with her this evening.”

“Th-that’s OK, Miss Raphiel!” Tapris grinned, calming herself as much as she possibly could. “I hope we can talk again tomorrow!”

“I’m certain that we will, Tapris. But please, if you ever wish to see me, remember that you are always welcome to visit our estate.”

“O-oh gosh! Yeah, that sounds lovely, Miss Raphiel! I’ll come by really soon, if that’s OK!”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Raphiel said with a smile, before they said their goodbyes for the afternoon, and went their separate ways.

“Oh my, I really must be feeling good…” Raphiel muttered to herself. She hadn’t quite intended to extend the invitation she’d given Tapris, wishing only to bid her a good day before heading back home, eager to see if Martiel had returned, but something had gotten the better of her, the words leaving her lips before she’d even given herself a moment to consider them.

“Oh well, it’s certainly nothing to worry about. Some private time together could be lovely.” she smiled, idly wondering if maybe, just maybe, Tapris might also enjoy whatever Martiel had brought back for her. She felt a little bolder today and the idea of sharing something secret with Tapris seemed almost exciting, so much so that a small part of her honestly hoped she would take her up on the offer.

As her estate came into view, Raphiel was surprised by how brisk her walk home had felt. She usually found herself so lost in her thoughts, wishing for things to get just a little more interesting, that it felt like an eternity before she ever made it home. Now though, it felt like it was over in an instant, her anticipation of Martiel arriving with something that finally would make life just a bit less dull exciting her to no end.

As she finally reached the front door she grew just a little more restless at the idea of waiting any longer than she already had, desperately hoping that Martiel would be there waiting for her. With a warm smile, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, delighted to see her butler heading up the stairs to her room. She quickly closed the door and crossed the entrance hall, rushing over to the staircase as quickly as she could without losing any of her grace and composure, then greeted her butler as cheerfully as possible.

“I’m home, Martiel! I trust that you...had…”

The rest of Raphiel’s sentence suddenly went flying right out of her head when she got a look at what exactly Martiel was doing: hefting a large, burlap sack over her shoulder, not caring in the slightest as it bumped against some of the step and...let out a series of loud, muffled groans.

“Welcome home, Milady,” Martiel said, her tone as flat and unchanging as ever, even as the sack continued to bump against the steps, wriggling slightly as it did. “I trust that you had a pleasant day at school?”

“M-Martiel…” Raphiel murmured, trying to keep some degree of composure. “School was enjoyable, as it always is. That said…”

“Is something the matter, Milady?”

“If it isn’t rude of me to ask, what is it that you’re carrying?” Raphiel ventured, matching Martiel’s pace from just a few steps behind her, the grunting dying down just a little as they both reached the top of the stairs.

“My sincerest apologies, Milady, I had intended for your plaything to be ready and waiting for you by the time you had arrived home from school, but you returned somewhat sooner than I had expected. It is no matter though,” she said, opening up the door to Raphiel’s bedroom. “I am certain this will still ensure that you do not long for entertainment ever again.”

“Martiel, though I greatly appreciate the effort you went through for me, it appears there may have been some degree of misunderstanding.” Raphiel stared down at the sack, filled with an equal amount of curiosity and dread at what lay inside. “I had asked for a game and some manga, not a pet.”

The sounds coming from the sack got just a little louder and, if Raphiel’s ears weren’t mistaken, angrier at the word “pet,” despite now sounding more like a dog’s irritated yapping than the indistinct groans Raphiel had heard earlier.

“Though I applaud your creativity, Milady, ‘pet’ may not be the right word, though the label could most certainly be applied, if you wish. Indeed, I took note of your request, and brought you a plaything and some reading material, just as you had asked.”

Raphiel now realized her mistake. In her excitement, she’d been so desperate for some form of Earth entertainment that she hadn’t explained what she’d really wanted at all. In hindsight, it made perfect sense that Martiel wouldn’t know what video games or manga were, but even so, she had no idea how she could have possibly misunderstood everything_ this_ much.

Martiel opened the door to Raphiel’s room, and the two girls stepped inside, both of them completely ignoring the sounds the sack was making now. “If I may, Milady?” Martiel asked, gesturing at a plush, comfortable chair in the corner of the room.

“C-certainly…” she agreed, before heading to take a seat while Martiel got to work.

At that, Martiel hefted the sack high above her head, before letting the contents spill out onto a far more plain, wooden chair below. Despite her efforts to remain calm, Raphiel couldn’t help but let out a loud, surprised gasp as a red-haired girl dropped right out of the sack, landing squarely on her butt as a collection of manga fell around her, the corner of a stray volume striking right at her temple while the rest tumbled. When the manga had cleared, Raphiel saw that her hands and feet were bound with rope, and a piece of tape was covering her mouth. Despite already certainly adequate constraints, Martiel gathered up another length of rope from inside of her jacket and tied her to the chair as firmly as possible, wiping her hands off once she was done. As the redhead steadily came to grips with being able to see once more, her bleary eyes glared at Raphiel angrily and her muffled shouts grew louder and louder with each passing second as she slowly started to rock the chair she was confined to.

“You’d better be careful,” Martiel said to the girl, her voice full of a scorn that Raphiel didn’t even know she was capable of. “If you fall over, I’ll not spare a moment to setting you back upright.”

The girl’s glare shifted to Martiel, lingering there for a second as she strained against the tape to get any kind of curse out, before she finally stopped rocking, resigning herself to simply sitting and sulking instead.

“My apologies, Milady. As you can see, your plaything is very spirited, which should serve to make her more amusing. I am confident that there is no greater plaything to be find on Earth, within Heaven’s domain, or indeed, even within the very depths of Hell itself.”

“Martiel, that’s...a girl,” Raphiel muttered, getting a better look at the “plaything” she’d been given. She was a short girl who appeared to be around the same age as herself, dressed in a school uniform that she was sure she’d seen back when she’d lived on Earth, though the red tie with an upside-down cross didn’t match any school she was aware of. Her red hair was tied with black ribbons into two odd-looking, though admittedly cute loops that hung just below her ears, and she wore a pointy, black hairpin shaped like a bat. Her eyes were the most striking feature, even while they were currently downcast and sulky, as if she were a child who’d just been denied dessert for the evening. Curiously, they seemed to be a deep, intense crimson color, a shade she’d never seen before on Earth or in Heaven.

“Correct, Milady. Though I feel it must be noted that her endowments pale in comparison to your own, and not only in those areas that are readily visible,” Martiel added, with an annoyingly proud tone.

“You said you’d brought...a plaything, no?” she asked, brushing aside the comment for the time being.

“Indeed, Milady, so I have.”

“You...you kidnapped a girl for me to...be friends with?”

“That is one way of using her as a plaything, Milady, though I admit, the idea of friendship with such a lowly being had not occurred to me when I decided to bring her here.”

“‘Lowly being...?’”

“Indeed,” Martiel responded, as though that was all she needed to say to address her lady’s question, though the perplexed look on her face didn’t diminish in the slightest. “Ah, I see. Perhaps it would be easiest to have her explain, then.”

With a brief nod to herself, Martiel reached over, slipped her nail under the tape affixed to the girl’s mouth, and give it a quick, sharp tug. A tearing sound filled the room, and then, a fraction of a second later, a chilling, pained scream.

“OWWW, DAMMIT! YOU CAN’T JUST TREAT A GREAT DEMON LIKE TH-” the girl screamed, until, with as much speed and precision as she’d shown earlier, Martiel slapped her hand over her mouth, muffling her protests with a fresh piece of tape.

“Martiel?” Raphiel asked, smiling as cheerfully as possible. Surprisingly, her smile came far more naturally than she’d have expected it to. There was something oddly amusing about how easily the girl’s loud, boisterous shouts were completely silenced with next to no effort.

“Yes, Milady?”

“Did our...guest just say that they were a ‘great demon?’?”

“Though I cannot determine anything about them that makes them particularly worthy of being called ‘great,’ yes, Milady, they did.”

The girl let out a very loud, muffled yell at that, prompting a soft, light giggle from Raphiel, who quickly composed herself and continued her questioning. Martiel’s usual demeanor could be endlessly frustrating, but right now, it just served to make the whole baffling situation almost...entertaining.

“Martiel, I must ask. Did you not tell me that you would be travelling to Earth?”

“Indeed, Milady.”

“So why, then, is our guest clearly a denizen of Hell?”

“Ah, I can see why you might be confused, Milady. My apologies for not explaining the situation sufficiently. Perhaps you would be better suited asking our guest, if she cares to keep her voice down?”

Martiel’s voice dropped as she addressed the demon girl, her glare turning icy and piercing. Almost instantly, her muffled shouts withered, becoming a faint whine before she completely quieted down, giving Martiel an embarrassed, almost imperceptibly slight nod.

As Martiel pulled off the tape once more, the demon winced. “Jeez, you didn’t have to rip it again…” she softly whined, her mouth completely framed by a bright red rectangle from where the tape had been.

Martiel cast a glare at her, which the redhead shrunk away from, then nodded to Raphiel to continue.

“Good day!” Raphiel started, smiling warmly in a bid to make the demon girl just a little more comfortable. “My name is Raphiel Ainsworth Shiraha. I trust that you’ve had a pleasant journey?” As soon as the words had left her lips, she realized how bad they sounded, but any guilt she may have felt was instantly wiped away as her guest’s loud, frustrated reaction made it all worthwhile.

“Are you kidding?! Like Hell I’ve had a ‘pleasant journey!’ Your weirdo butler kidnapped me, dammit! That’s no way to treat a great demon! I don’t care if you’re an angel or whatever! I, Sata-”

Martiel held up another fresh piece of tape, tugging on the ends of it and making sure the demon got a clear view of it.

“I’msorryI’msorryI’msorry! Got it, don’t worry! I’ll keep it down!”

“Pfft…”

Raphiel quickly clasped her hands over her mouth as she felt a laugh creeping up, not wanting her composure to break even further than it had. She couldn’t help it, though. In two years, she’d never seen anyone who got anywhere close to this...boisterous.

“Hey! You’re laughing at me?!”

“My apologies!” Raphiel smiled, her usual angelic expression returning after just a little effort. “You’re just so very interesting to me, you see. Martiel?” she turned to face her butler.

“Yes, Milady?”

“Let’s leave the tape for now. I know her shouts are...loud, to say the least, but I’m confident she has so much she wishes to say, and I think I would like to, at the very least, give her that opportunity.

“Certainly, Milady. How gracious of you.”

“There, isn’t that better?”

“Barely! I’m still tied up and-”

“Yes yes, I understand, it must be awfully strange for you. Before we get into all of that, though, would you mind telling me a bit more about you? I would like to learn your name, at the very least.” Raphiel cut her off, smiling all the while.

“I-I was talking…” the demon grumbled, her arm shifting just a little as she seemed to want to scratch the back of her neck, before remembering that she was far too constrained to even attempt something like that.

“Indeed you were, and now you’ll have an even greater chance to do so, Miss…?”

“Ufufu…” the demon girl laughed. Despite all of her grumbling, it looked as if a fire had suddenly been lit up within her as her lips curled into an arrogant smirk. “You, a mere angel, demand to know my name?!” she asked, doing her best to make her voice sound menacing. It wasn’t working.

“That’s right!” Raphiel smiled. “It would be such an honor! You’re a highly esteemed guest, after all!”

She was teasing her a little, falsely appealing to her ego, but the demon girl hardly seemed to notice. Her smirk only widened, and her eyes took on an even cockier edge as she continued.

“Very well! Listen, then, foolish angels, and carve my name into your very souls! For you stand before no mere demon, but the great demon Satanichia Kurumizawa McDowell!” Her body shifted a little more at that, her entire being desperately screaming out to strike some sort of pose as she spoke, knowing that the impact of her name just wouldn’t be the same without the accompaniment. It was no matter, she ultimately told herself. She just knew that the angels had to be completely awestruck.

If she was, though, Raphiel hardly showed it, giggling softly to herself while her butler looked on with a blank stare.

“Oh my, what a great demon, indeed. It must have been a complete stroke of luck that you were able to so easily and completely apprehend such a powerful, impressive being, Martiel!” Raphiel spoke just as cheerfully as she ever had, knowing just how effectively it’d rile the girl up, and saw it had worked just as intended as Satanichia’s cheeks turned a red so bright that it almost perfectly matched her hair.

“I-I just lowered my guard for a second, that’s all! If you filthy angels didn’t stoop to such dirty tactics, there’s no way your pathetic butler would have ever been able to touch me!”

“Dirty tactics? Oh dear, Martiel, is this true?”

“Milady, I-”

“You’re damn right it’s true! I was just minding my own business outside of a convenience store when this stupid pervert tossed a sack on me outta nowhere!”

“In the alley behind the convenience store, to be precise,” Martiel clarified, matter-of-factly.

“Th-that doesn’t matter! Point is, I was_ outside_ of it and-”

“Alleys are awfully filthy, aren’t they? That seems like a strange place for a great demon such as yourself to relax,” Raphiel teased, smiling happily as she interrupted her guest.

“Who the hell cares where I relax?!” she yelled, her words sounding shaky and uncertain. “B-besides, it’s quiet and empty, I can plan out all sorts of vile acts without anyone to stop me!”

“You poor thing, no home to go to at all, so you’re reduced to plotting in dingy back alleys! Oh my, we’ll just have to keep you safe here!” Raphiel said with a smile as she rose out of her chair and walked over to the girl. “There there, you’ll be able to concoct so many incredible schemes now,” she added, petting her head. Raphiel was a little surprised by just how much she was getting into teasing Satanichia, but her buttons were just so easy to push, and she hadn’t met anyone quite this excitable in so, so long. There was no way she could pass up the opportunity to play around, at least a little.

“You are truly gracious, Milady. That said, I recall our guest having company when I found her.”

“Nope, you must’ve been confused, dumbass angel! No other people around! Just me, all by myself!” Satanichia shouted, wearing a smug, satisfied expression.

“There was a dog,” Martiel interjected.

“Wh-who cares about that mutt?! You can find strays like that on just about every corner! Doesn’t mean a thing!”

“Most peculiar,” Martiel spoke up, a slight teasing edge coloring her words. “It seemed to me that you cared deeply about that dog at the time. You were locked in some sort of duel over food.”

Raphiel’s eyes were torn at that moment, flitting between the stony, serious face Martiel wore and the arrogant, angry expression on Satanicha that was starting to crack with embarrassment. Raphiel could feel her own smile cracking, too, pursing her lips together as she felt a laugh start to surge up from her chest. Truly, Martiel had found someone exceptionally remarkable, a plaything she just knew would never, ever stop amusing her. If she’d been even the slightest bit hesitant about her teasing before, all of that left her in that instant.

“Ufufufufu!” Raphiel wholeheartedly laughed, not even trying to hold it back. “How did it go? A great demon like you must have easily bested a simple little dog, I’m sure!”

“Of course I did! And who said it was little?! That thing was practically a demon all on its own!”

“She decisively lost,” Martiel amended. “The dog took her food and she gave chase, immediately tripping on a can that had been left on the ground, which is when I collected her. And the dog was very small. Barely the size of a common housecat,” she added, her lips ever so slightly curled into what appeared to be a smirk.

“Nobody asked you! I was just having an off day and that dumb mutt took my melon bread! It’s not friggin’ fair, dammit! Every time I buy some, it’s like they just know where I’ll be and snatch it up!”

“Oh my! Perhaps you should try talking with it next time! I’m sure that, if you speak honestly, they’ll come to realize that the great Satania is not to be trifled with!” Raphiel smiled, her golden eyes shining even brighter than usual, the image of the girl barking at a dog amusing her to no end.

“S-speak to it? And my name’s not Satania, dammit! Only Vignette calls me that!”

“That’s right, in the language of dogs! I’m sure a demon such as yourself is more than capable of speaking it, surely?”

“I-I mean, yeah, but… D-don’t try change the subject! My name is Satanichia Kurumizawa-”

“But Satania,” Raphiel interrupted, pouting slightly, “your full name is so very radiant, Martiel and I are simply unworthy of saying it! Isn’t that right, Martiel?”

“Indeed, Milady. We are barely worthy to stay in Miss Satania’s presence, let alone utter the name of such a powerful demon,” she said, not missing a beat.

“Oh-ho!” Satania smirked, her mood turning in an instant. “I’m glad you understand how incredible I am! Very well, you may use my nickname! But it’s just as your butler-”

“Her name is Martiel, please use it,” Raphiel flatly interjected.

“-It’s just as Martiel said! You are not even worthy of remaining in my presence! I demand that you release me at once!”

“Hmmm…sorry, that won’t be happening.”

“Milady is correct. You will remain with us for the foreseeable future.”

“You can’t just kidnap me, dammit! You’re meant to be angels! Aren’t you supposed to be all good and pure?! There’s gotta be angelic laws against this!”

“Ufufu, but Satania, you admitted that you were plotting misdeeds! It seems to me that Martiel chose to bring you here to protect the people of Earth from a great demon’s wrath!”

“Th-that’s...I mean, yeah. I was doing that, but-”

“So surely you can see that Martiel and I were merely fulfilling our duties as angels by bringing you here!”

“And tying me up?! You’re probably just gonna exorcise me or whatever the hell you dumb angels do!”

“Though I would think it obvious to most demons, exorcism would not actually affect you in any way,” Martiel spoke up, watching idly as Satania’s expression somehow grew even more flustered and frustrated.

“Ufufu! Martiel, a moment of your time?” Raphiel asked, calling Martiel to her side and whispering in her ear. “Martiel, would we be able to undo her constraints and somehow ensure she would not cause any sort of trouble? She’s such a delightful plaything, but I am certain that she could provide so much more entertainment if she could at least stretch her legs.”

Martiel stayed silent for a moment, before nodding slightly.

“That can most certainly be arranged. We have various angelic items that should do just that, Milady.”

“Wonderful, Martiel! Would you mind fetching whatever it is you need, then?”

“There is no need for me to go anywhere, Milady. I keep it stored in your dresser.”

Raphiel watched on as Martiel made her way over to her dresser and started rifling around inside, deciding that it was better if she didn’t why, out of all the places in the mansion, she’d chosen there to hide away some angelic item. After going through the whole dresser, Martiel rifled through the first drawer she’d opened once more, and then, apparently finding what she was after, came back to Raphiel with what looked like a small, black collar.

“My apologies, Milady. Though I am ashamed to admit it, I nearly thought I had misplaced this particular item,” she explained, wiping a line of drool from her mouth.

“H-hey, what is that thing?!”

Though she was just as curious as Satania to find out what exactly the collar did, Raphiel hid that all with little trouble. She trusted Martiel, even if she had just deliberately rummaged around through all of her clothes, knowing that, even if it seemed unconventional, it would almost certainly do exactly what she needed it to.

“Satania, I know you’ve been rather distressed by your current situation. Though I myself haven’t experienced it, I can imagine being tied up to be quite the stressful ordeal.”

“Get to the point, dumbass Angel! What’s the collar for?”

“Ufufu, I was about to tell you, silly!” Raphiel laughed. “Those ropes ill fit a demon as great as you! So we’ll be undoing them for you! Isn’t that right, Martiel?”

“Indeed, Milady,” Martiel replied, bowing slightly before heading toward Satania and beginning to untie her bindings. “You should consider yourself quite lucky, Miss Satania. In spite of your foul tongue, or perhaps because of it, Milady has chosen to show you her hospitality.”

Satania seemed desperate to say something back, but held her tongue as the ropes holding her in place were steadily loosened. No matter how much she wanted to avoid losing to an angel, she didn’t want to jeopardize her chances of being set free.

The moment they came off, however, her attitude quickly turned defiant once more, as she leapt up to her feet and wasted no time before launching into a grand tirade in the most menacing voice she could muster.

“MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Foolish angels, you don’t understand just how big a mistake you’ve made! Setting a great demon free upon Heaven?! Why, I’ll have this whole damn place under my control in no-urk!”

Any attempt at intimidation was quickly, effortlessly stifled midway through her speech, as the collar Martiel had been holding was clasped around her neck from behind.

“H-hey! What the hell is this?!” Satania yelled, tugging at her new adornment. “Is this some kind of joke?! Put a collar on me so that I’ll be like that stupid mutt?! Well too bad, morons! That dog was a stray, so they didn’t have a collar!”

Raphiel and Martiel truly couldn’t care less about whether or not the dog she’d fought for food wore a collar, but watching her tug at it fruitlessly was still endlessly entertaining to Raphiel.

“Ahhh, Satania, you look so adorable, ufufufufu! It suits you!” Raphiel said, barely forcing the words out through her laughter.

“I-I don’t give a damn! I’m taking this damn thing oFF-” her voice cracked higher as she fumbled with the collar’s clasp, sending a sharp jolt through her body.

“I would recommend refraining from attempting to remove your collar, Miss Satania.”

“Yeah, I get that now, dumbass butler!” Satania spat, tugging at the collar harshly. “That doesn’t mean I give a damn what you SAYYYYYY-” She fumbled with the clasp again, doing her best to undo it even through the steady stream of pain that shot through her body, before it completely brought her to her knees, forcing her to relent. “F-fine! I’ll wear your stupid collar! What the hell’s the point of this thing though, anyway?! A collar’s not gonna stop me from taking over Heaven, you got that?!”

“Though I am confident you pose little to no threat no matter the circumstance, that collar will most assuredly put any such ambitions firmly to rest. As long as you wear that collar, you will find yourself completely and utterly unable to wander from the Shiraha estate,” Martiel stated, Raphiel noticing the slightest hint of a satisfied smile on her face. “Though you appeared to not understand when I first said as much, I’ll repeat my earlier warning. Do not attempt to remove your collar. That is an angelic item that has remained within the Shiraha family for generations, and you most certainly will not be able to circumvent its power over you. As long as you do not tamper with it, no harm will come to you.”

“Wh-what the hell’s wrong with all of you?!” Satania asked, her expression turning increasingly flustered and embarrassed. “I was just minding my own damn business! D-do you just hate all demons or something?”

“Hmmm, well, we are taught that demons are the embodiment of all that is unholy…”

“Who gives a crap?! I just wanna go back home, dammit!”

“I’d never met any demons before today,” Raphiel smirked, “but if they’re all like you, I think we’ll get along wonderfully, ufufu! After all, I don’t hate you, Satania…” she teased, putting a hand beneath Satania’s chin and forcing her to look directly into her eyes, shining so very, very brightly now. “I just love everything about you!”

“L-l-l-love?!” a small, panicked voice called out from the doorway.

Raphiel, Martiel, and their extremely flustered guest quickly turned towards the room’s entrance, seeing the petite figure of Tapris staring at them with a completely shocked look on her face, her trembling hands threatening to drop the cake she was carrying at any moment.

“Oh my! If it isn’t Tapris! I must say, I wasn’t expecting you to visit Martiel and I so soon! Not that this isn’t a wonderful surprise, of course,” Raphiel said, smiling happily. A small part of her wondered if she should maybe panic a little, if she should feel some sort of worry about Satania being discovered by other angels. Seeing the flush on Tapris’s face, however, the idea of the incredibly sweet angel and the remarkably cocky demon meeting each other seemed nothing short of wonderful, the very notion pushing all of her fears aside.

“M-M-Miss Raphi!” Tapris yelled, handing Martiel her cake as she walked up to her fellow trainee.

“That’s ‘Raphiel,’ Tapris,” she corrected, still wearing her serene smile.

“That doesn’t matter, Miss Raphi! Er, no, it does! Miss Raphiel! B-but still! I-I wanted to surprise you and Martiel with a cake I made to share with you both and I see you c-c-c-confessing to a foul demon!”

“MWAHAHAHA! That’s right, pathetic angel! I’ve ensnared your precious ‘Raphi’ and her butler! They now bow to me! It’s only right that they’d fall in love with my incredible, wicked aura!” Satania boasted, completely emboldened by the idea of anyone actually taking her seriously, her devilish smirk only growing cockier as Tapris shuddered before her.

“Ah, there’s no way I’d confess to someone as ridiculous as Satania here, Tapris,” Raphiel stated, her tone just as flat as Martiel’s.

“Th-that’s just her trying to deceive you! She’s fallen completely under my control!”

“Miss Tapris, Miss Satania here can barely control a common housepet, there’s simply no way Milady and myself would ever fall for her, much less serve her.”

For as quickly as Raphiel and Martiel denied every single one of Satania’s boasts, Tapris struggled to believe them, blinded by her worry that, somehow, a demon may really have affected the angel she so dearly admired. After all, Raphiel had said something about love, hadn’t she? There was no way she’d do that without some sort of demonic influence.

“Wicked demon! Though you may have caught Miss Raphi off guard, I’m here to rescue both her and Martiel! Th-then we’ll all just relax and have cake together while you’re off rotting in Hell! Because she’s...she’s my best friend and I’m gonna help her, you big jerk!” Tapris yelled, her language growing increasingly childish the more worked up she became.

Part of Raphiel found Tapris’s words incredibly sweet. She’d known about her crush on her for quite some time, but seeing her take on what she thought was an insurmountable force to help her was heartwarming, in its own way.

That said, the force she was up against was Satania, so really, she might as well have been watching two puppies snarling at each other. It was positively adorable, and, in those moments, endlessly entertaining.

“Ufufufu…” Raphiel chuckled, trying and failing to hold back her laughter as best as she could, wanting this to last as long as it possibly could.

“Wh-what’s wrong, Miss Raphi?! Oh no, is her influence clouding your mind even further?! F-foul demon, I-I’ll send you straight back to hell myself if I have to!” Tapris yelled, balling her hands into tiny little fists and hitting Satania as hard as she could, a barrage that felt like a light massage at worst.

But this was Satania, so the mere idea of anyone actually hitting her at all hurt her pride more than enough to compensate for Tapris’s own lack of strength.

“Ow! Ow! Hey, stop that you little runt! Cut it out! I said quit it!”

“No way! I’ll never give up until Miss Raphi and Miss Martiel are freed from your dumb curse or whatever!”

Raphiel’s light giggles had turned into full-blown laughter at this point. There was just no way she could even begin to hold back at this point.

“Ufufufufu! Martiel, thank you so very, very much for this wonderful gift! I’m confident there is no better entertainment to be found anywhere in the universe! You truly are incredible, Martiel!”

Martiel bowed, wiping away a bit of drool as Raphiel heaped praise on her.

“Thank you, Milady. Your smile is always radiant and beautiful, but seeing you filled with such unbridled happiness is the greatest reward I could possibly ask for.”

“Ufufu, but of course! I don’t think it would be possible for me not to smile around these two. That said, I’m feeling rather famished. As much as I would like to let these two continue for all eternity, why don’t we all rest easy with the cake Tapris has so lovingly made for us, hmm?”

“That sounds splendid, Milady. I will make the proper arrangements at once.” Martiel bowed, heading to set things up while Raphiel dealt with the other two.

“So as you can see, Tapris...” Raphiel said, making her voice loud enough that she was sure it would grab their attention and smiling broadly as Satania and Tapris were pulled out of their feud. “There’s simply no way a demon as pathetic as Satania here could do much of anything to Martiel or myself. So there’s no need to panic.”

“B-but you said you loved her, Miss Raphi!”

“Ufufu, that’s ‘Raphiel,’ Tapris. And yes, I suppose I did say something to that effect, but that’s just fine, isn’t it? She’s such a wonderful plaything, after all! Now, with that all said...” Raphiel pushed Satania away from Tapris, ignoring her shouts as she bent down and gave Tapris a soft, loving kiss. “There’s more than enough love in my heart to go around!”

“M-M-Miss Raphi!” Tapris cried out, looking mere seconds away from exploding in sheer joy. “B-b-but, I-I just, oh gosh…”

“Ufufu, there’s no need to panic, Tapris. You came here to share a cake with us, did you not?”

“I-I did…” she nodded softly, her bright red cheeks softening to an adorable pink. “But...but I still don’t trust her!” she yelled, pointing at Satania angrily.

“That’s perfectly fine, Tapris. Nobody does. That said, I don’t think she’s a bad person, just...remarkably inept.”

“What the hell?!” Satania cried, though she was completely ignored once more.

“But with that collar around her neck, she’s completely harmless! She cannot leave the estate, and I know she’s far too goodhearted to attempt any misdeeds while she’s under my care.”

“Watch your mouth!” Satania spat angrily. “I’m a great demon, dammit! Not a good bone in my body, ya hear?!”

“Satania?”

“Y-yeah?”

“You would like to join us for cake, no?”

“I-I mean…” she gave up on denying it immediately, wiping some drool from her mouth as her stomach growled, answering Raphiel’s question with far more enthusiasm.

“Ufufu! Of course you would, so stop arguing and play nice, OK? You and I can have allll kinds of fun later, ufufufufufu!”

Satania could swear that, with each passing word, Raphiel’s voice grew just a little more menacing, her widening, cheerful smile worrying the demon to no end.

“F-fine, dammit! I’ll play along with whatever angelic crap you want!”

“But Miss Raphi, what if she really does try something evil?! Th-there’s no way I could give cake to a demon!” Tapris huffed, clutching Raphiel’s hand as tightly as possible.

“Oh? I suppose, in the event my judgement is wrong, that might be a valid concern. But how to fix that…?”

“Y-you don’t have to fix anything! I just want some damn cake!” Satania stomped her foot against the ground, like a child throwing a temper tantrum.

“Why, you’re right!” Raphiel smiled, barely suppressing a giggle. “There’s nothing to fix at all! You’re already the perfect plaything! That said, if you want cake so badly, why not prove your loyalty to me, hmm?”

“P-prove my…loyalty?”

“Certainly! Nothing complicated, of course. I just think that would get Tapris to feel a bit more comfortable, wouldn’t it?”

“I...I guess so, yeah…” Tapris nodded shyly.

“So then, Satania, I have a perfect idea in mind! Show that you’re willing to mend your relationship with that dog you fought back on Earth, and I’ll truly believe you’re worthy of everyone’s trust!”

“Hell no! And how the heck am I meant to do that, anyway?! The dog’s not here, moron!”

“That’s true, but I believe I suggested a perfect way for you to make reparations earlier, no?”

“No! All you said was that I should speak like a...stupid...mutt…” Satania trailed off, blushing deeper and deeper as she realized exactly what she was being asked to do.

“...Oh...”

“Ufufu! You don’t have to do much. Just a little begging, some adorable barks, and we’ll fully trust you!”

“B-but…”

“There’s cake on the line, after all! Made with love by our darling little Tapris! And you know, for as much as you may not like her, the food Martiel makes is nothing short of exemplary! You could eat like a queen every day while you’re here! Are you really willing to pass that up?”

“F-fine, dammit! I’ll go along with-”

“Ufufu, what was that? I didn’t know dogs could speak just like us!”

Swallowing her pride and blushing furiously, Satania got down on her knees, held her hands up like paws, and let out loud, terribly flustered shouts of “R-ruff! Ruff ruff!” wanting nothing more, in those moments, than to go back home to her girlfriend.

Raphiel looked on with a happier smile than she’d ever worn before, eventually giving way to a fit of giggles that took what felt like an eternity to subside, no matter how much her new plaything yelled at her for it.

~~~

“Just stop friggin’ following me already!”

“I would think, Miss Satania, that after your third failed attempt to run away from us, it would become abundantly clear that there is nothing you can do to prevent us from moving into your apartment with you,” Martiel chided, staring at Satania with an intensity that almost had the demon crumbling on the spot.

“B-but I have a girlfriend, dammit! You can’t just...move in with us!” she whined, her voice having lost its usual cocky edge almost entirely.

“Ufufu! Vignette, was it?” Raphiel giggled. “We’re all so delighted to meet her! Why, if she’s half the demon you are, I’m certain that our days together will be so full of fun!”

“There’s no damn way I’m letting you screw with Vignette, got it?” Satania shouted, sounding surprisingly determined and serious once more.

“Ufufu, but of course! I’m certain I could never find a plaything as marvelous as you, Satania!”

“M-Miss Raphi…” Tapris mumbled, tugging on Raphiel’s sleeve, “I’m not sure about this. Earth’s scary enough without demons around! Why do we have to live with two of them?”

“Oh? But Tapris, isn’t that why you’re here? To protect me?”

“Y-yes, but…”

“And Satania’s hardly scary, is she?”

Tapris shook her head. “No, not even a little bit.”

“Hey! Can it, runt!” Satania shouted, going completely ignored by Raphiel and Tapris, who continued their conversation unabated, while Martiel grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to continue walking them all toward her apartment.

“Can you even imagine her being with someone scary? I certainly can’t! Why, they might be even less intimidating than she is!”

“Ehehe, I guess that’s true… B-but I’m still gonna look after you, Miss Raphi! I won’t let any stupid demons lay a finger on you!”

“Of course, Tapris…” Raphiel smiled, leaning over and giving her new ward a light kiss on the cheek, watching as she quickly blushed bright red before hurrying to catch up with the others.

The week since Martiel had brought Satania into the Shiraha estate had been both incredibly tumultuous and endlessly exciting. For as much fun as it all was, after a couple of days in Heaven it became clear that Satania, while a wonderful plaything for the increasingly sadistic angel, very much missed her girlfriend. Raphiel was far from heartless, though, and after a discussion with Martiel over the ramifications of Satania’s absence being noticed by the other demon, they decided to let her return to Earth as soon as the butler was finished with the necessary arrangements.

What they didn’t make clear until the night before she left, however, was that Raphiel, Tapris, and Martiel would all be accompanying her, living with her and her girlfriend in their apartment on Earth for the foreseeable future.

Though Satania kicked and screamed about it for what felt like hours, the threat of Martiel finding another tool to keep her in check, one that was far more powerful and far, far more embarrassing than the collar she’d been forced to wear, shut her up with little trouble. Raphiel was determined to go with her, longing to visit Earth once more and finally having a perfect opportunity to do so. While Martiel was able to quickly arrange for her school to allow her to graduate early enough that she could leave Heaven with little trouble, the butler had also insisted upon travelling with her, staying by her side to ensure that, if anyone from Heaven ever gave Raphiel even the slightest bit of trouble over what she was doing, she’d be able to deal with it handily.

Tapris, however, required far more complicated arrangements to be made. She was much further away from graduation than Raphiel, but she absolutely refused to let Raphiel travel to Earth without her, terrified that living with two demons would see the girl she so greatly admired completely corrupted. Still, Martiel had become an expert in finding loopholes for Heaven’s many incredibly strict rules, and in no time at all discovered that, were Tapris to work as a ward of the Shiraha family and return to Heaven on occasion for any exams she needed to take, she would be able accompany them with no trouble whatsoever.

And so it was that the three angels found themselves on Earth on a sleepy Saturday evening, forcing the demon they’d been toying with from the moment they first met her to walk them to the apartment they would all be sharing from that day forward.

“Our apartment isn’t even big enough for us, y’know?! We’ve only got two rooms, dammit!”

“That will not be an issue in the slightest. I require little myself, but I have brought several angelic items that will create a larger living space for us all within the apartment without impacting the area around it in the least, should we need them.”

“That isn’t even possible!”

“For most, perhaps, but I am a loyal servant of the Shiraha family, and as such, nothing is impossible if it makes Milady’s life as pleasant as possible.”

“H-how the hell…?”

“Ufufufu! Satania, I would think it best for you to not question what Martiel is capable of. Just know that if she tells you something, it is most certainly true.”

Satania tried to think of something else to say, but quickly gave up, grumbling softly as she continued her walk back to the apartment. For as irritating as the angels could be, setting foot outside the mansion she’d been trapped in for the past week more than made up for the frustration. She couldn’t wait to see her girlfriend again, even if she did have a lot to explain.

“We’re here!” Satania angrily announced, standing outside her front door.

“Thank you so very much for escorting us, Satania!” Raphiel smiled, gesturing for her to open the door. Though she hardly let it show, Raphiel was ecstatic. She’d grown used to living in a grand manor, but there was something incredibly comforting about returning to a home that was so...ordinary. There was nothing remarkable about the apartment building they found themselves in front of, but in its own way, that set the angel’s imagination alight, excitedly wondering just how much it would remind her of where she had once lived.

Satania reached into her pocket, grumbling to herself. She wasn’t too upset, though; even if the place was about to become a lot more crowded, this was still her home, and she couldn’t wait to flop down onto her bed and just relax for the first time in days. Her eyes widened, however, when she found her pocket to be completely empty, frantically patting down her clothes to try and find what she’d been looking for.

“Wh-what’s the matter?! Are you trying to find some way to scare us off again?!” Tapris asked, glaring at Satania angrily.

“No way I could, dammit! I just...I can’t find my keys!”

“That’s perfectly fine,” Martiel started, moving Satania out of the way and standing in front of the door. “I simply need to remove the door, and we should be able to enter with little-”

“HEY! Calm down! They’ve gotta be somewhere! I just need to keep looking! You can’t just break the door down!”

“I will replace it in short order.”

“That’s not the problem! Breaking it’ll be a crime, y’know!”

“Oh? But Satania, I thought criminal acts were second nature to demons?” Raphiel teased, wearing her same cheerful smile.

“Shut up! I commit tons of crimes, but this isn’t just my apartment! Vignette’ll be so pissed if I-”

“Satania?” a warm, pleasant voice called out, bringing everything the girls were doing to a halt.

Putting on a smile that looked far more pained than she wanted it to, Satania turned her attention toward the new arrival and gave her a nervous wave. “Y-yo, Vignette! How’s it going?”

“I was just out getting some groceries… Did you go out somewhere, Satania? I figured you’d just want to relax for the evening...” Vignette said, her voice sounding more confused with each passing word.

“G-go out somewhere? Vignette, it’s been a week!”

“Hah...hah... Is this some weird joke?” she asked, laughing flatly, before apologizing profusely to the other girls. “I’m so sorry my girlfriend got you all caught up in whatever this is! She’s just...very enthusiastic, that’s all!”

“Pff...Ufufufufufu!” Raphiel doubled over, laughing hysterically.

“What’s so friggin’ funny?!”

“It’s nothing, nothing at all!” Raphiel smiled, wiping a tear from her eye and turning to face Vignette. “It’s such a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Vignette! My name is Raphiel Ainsworth Shiraha! I’ve grown fully accustomed to how ‘enthusiastic’ Satania gets, so there’s no need to apologize for her behavior! Truthfully, I’d be upset if she were to lose that side of her.”

“H-hi there…” Vignette stammered. “You can just call me Vigne, Satania’s pretty much the only one who cares about using my full name. But...I’m sorry if this is rude to ask, but how do you know Satania?”

If she was a demon, she hardly let it show. Though she looked more than a little confused by everything that was happening, she was clearly doing her best to stay warm and friendly. Though Satania’s bluster likely wasn’t a good metric for how demon’s acted at all, Raphiel had, admittedly, expected something a little closer to what she was clearly imitating: someone who struck fear into the hearts of everyone around them, bending everyone to their diabolical will. Vigne, by contrast, just seemed like any pleasantly ordinary teenage girl.

“Why, my esteemed butler Martiel, my fellow trainee Tapris, and I were the ones who kept Satania company over the past week! She’s been such a wonderful companion!” Raphiel said, wearing a serene, perfectly innocent smile.

“Right…” Vigne mumbled, though something still seemed to be bothering her. “Well, would you all like to come in for some tea? I’d like to put these down, too, ahaha,” she laughed softly, hefting up her shopping bags for everyone to see.

“Certainly, that sounds wonderful!” Raphiel replied almost automatically, as if she was dealing with the same pleasantries she’d put up with just about every day in Heaven.

Everyone cleared the way for Vigne as she approached the front door to the apartment, Satania yelling all the while about something that everyone, Vigne included, completely ignored.

“Please, take a seat!” Vigne smiled, ushering everyone inside and gesturing toward the couch in the living room. “I’ll bring you all some tea in just a moment!”

“You’re just inviting these jerks in?!” Satania yelled, “You don’t get it, they look all sweet, but they’re angels, Vignette!”

“Oh wow, really? I’ve never met any angels before!”

“You’re not meant to be impressed! You’re a demon, aren’tcha?! They’re our enemies!”

“I-I mean, yeah...I am…” Vigne said defensively, blushing brightly as she made tea for everyone. “But I’ve never met any angels before! It’s pretty exciting, honestly! Besides…” she pouted, “we never get any houseguests. It’s just nice to have some company for a change…”

“But they’re all really rotten, Vignette! Well, the two bigger ones are. The shrimp’s just a bit of a brat...but still! They kept me stuck in their mansion for a week! A week, Vignette!”

“Ooh! I know, I’ll give them a slice of the cake I just bought!” Vigne exclaimed happily.

“L-listen to me, dammit!” Satania huffed, drooling a little at the sight of the cake and wiping it off on her sleeve. “Everyone thinks they can just win me over with cake, but not this time! Besides, they don’t deserve a single crumb!”

“Hmmm, it’s not that I’m not listening, but, well...you do get worked up like this pretty often…”

“A-at least don’t give them all the cake!”

“Oh relax, you’ll get some too! Now c’mon, they’re our guests. Let’s at least treat them with_ some_ hospitality. Gosh, maybe they’ll let me see their halos!”

“Vignette…” Satania pouted, trudging alongside her girlfriend to the living room, unsure of what else she could really say.

“Oh my!” Raphiel exclaimed as the demons entered the room, “tea and cake! Isn’t this nostalgic, Satania? It’s just like our first meeting! Why, thank you so very much, Vigne!

“Indeed. Thank you for your hospitality,” Martiel said, giving a slight bow.

“...T-thanks…” Tapris mumbled, clutching tightly onto to Raphiel’s arm.

“Tapris? Is something the matter? Our hosts brought us such wonderful snacks, it hardly seems fair to treat them so coldly, don’t you think?”

“B-but Miss Raphi, they’re both demons! Satania couldn’t hurt a fly, but...but that still doesn’t mean I’ll trust every single one I meet!”

Satania, for her part, had grown so tired of yelling that she just grumbled and took a bite out of her slice of cake, smiling happily the second it touched her tongue.

“Oh my! But Vigne seems so friendly, doesn’t she? Why, she’d fit right in back home, don’t you think?”

“Y-yeah, but she might just be trying to trick us! I’ve gotta protect you, Miss Raphi! I don’t want her trying to corrupt you!”

Vigne’s expression immediately turned dour. “Mm, that’s right. We’re demons, after all. I guess angels would hate me right away, huh?”

“That’s no good, Tapris,” Raphiel scolded. “It’s perfectly fine to tease Satania, but Vigne has done nothing at all to earn your distrust.

“It’s fine…” Vigne said, laughing bitterly. “Other demons say I’m bad at being a demon, the first angels I meet hate me for being a demon. I guess I’m used to it…” she grumbled, clearly not even a little bit used to it.

“I-I don’t…” Tapris tried to speak, deeply saddened to see how much she’d upset Vigne. Satania grumbled, then immediately picked herself back up, but Vigne seemed genuinely hurt by her words. “I...I didn’t mean it!” she cried out at the top of her lungs, her grip on Raphiel’s arm only tightening as she huddled against her for support.

“Please excuse Tapris,” Martiel spoke up. “She has only recently begun to work as a ward in Milady’s service, and she seems to be rather nervous. It is her first day on Earth, as well, which I suspect is only adding to her stress.”

“Oh gosh! I didn’t mean to upset her...“ Vigne reached across the table, putting a hand on Tapris’s shoulder and smiling at her as warmly as possible. “I’m sorry, Tapris. It sounds like it’s been a hard day for you, hasn’t it?”

Tapris nodded shyly.

“Well, that’s OK! It’s been a strange day for me too! But I’ve got such wonderful guests with me now, so why don’t we all do what we can to turn things around, hmm? We’ve got tea and cake and I bet we’ve all got so much to talk about! There’s no way it won’t be lovely!”

“Y-you think so?” Tapris asked, wiping away a tear.

“Of course I do! I’m a pretty crappy demon, to be honest. No matter how hard I try, I’m just...no good at the whole being evil thing, ahaha. So don’t worry, I won’t hurt you, or Raphi, or Martiel, I promise! Satania won’t either. You said it yourself: she’s completely harmless!”

“V-Vignette!” Satania yelled, quieting down the instant Vigne turned to glare at her, softly adding, “Y-yeah...she’s right, I’m totally harmless…” under her breath.

Raphiel, for her part, just let out a contented sigh, pleased to see that Vigne not only seemed to understand how to cheer Tapris up just as well as she did, but also seemed to know exactly how to get Satania worked up.

“I’ll...I’ll do my best!” Tapris exclaimed, perking up almost as quickly as Satania.

“That’s great! And if it’s ever difficult, I’m sure that your friends would be more than happy to help you out! If you don’t want my help too, of course.”

“Y-yeah! Thank you, Miss Vigne!”

Vigne smiled, before turning her attention back towards the whole group, fidgeting a little as she spoke. “So...if it’s OK for me to ask, and it’s not that I don’t appreciate your company, I really do, but…”

“You wish to know why we’re here, is that correct, Miss Vigne?” Martiel asked, taking a sip of her tea.

“Well, yeah… It’s weird, y’know. You step out to buy groceries and when you come home, your girlfriend who you saw just an hour or so earlier tells you she’s been missing for a week and she’s brought the supposed culprits home with her. It’s...well, it’s a lot to take in all at once, ahaha…” she laughed, scratching the back of her head.

“It is!” Raphiel smiled, giggling happily. “But you can rest assured that Satania, surprisingly, hasn’t lied about a single thing. That’s all true. She was our esteemed guest for an entire week! And what a wonderful guest she was! Why, I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun!”

“Indeed, Milady’s smile has grown even more radiant since I first brought Satania to her. She has been a truly remarkable plaything.”

“Play...thing?” Vigne asked.

“They treated me like a damn mutt!” Satania barked. “Had me wear a stupid collar and live with them in their mansion! I couldn’t even leave, Vignette!”

“Is this true, too?” Vigne asked, her eyes narrowing slightly, worrying now that the angels she’d invited into her home weren’t quite as divine as they first seemed.

“It is,” Martiel answered. “For Miss Satania’s own safety, as well as our own, we couldn’t have a demon roam freely through Heaven’s domain. That said, while she may have barked more than a handful of times, her living situation was quite comfortable. She had a private room with queen-sized, luxurious bedding, and her meals were prepared personally by me to meet the exacting standards of the Shiraha family.”

“Martiel’s hardly the type to brag,” Raphiel piped up, “but I would wager that you’d be hard-pressed to find a better meal just about anywhere else! This was all at no cost to Satania, of course. She was a guest, after all, it would be rude not to treat her, ufufu!”

“Yeah! Martiel’s food’s amazing!” Tapris happily chirped, between sips of tea. “She’s gonna start teaching me how to cook, too! Says ‘there’s simply no way Milady and any company she keeps can be served anything less than the best!’”

“Don’t listen to their damn lies, Vigne! I was their prisoner! See, you can still see the imprint from that collar they forced on me!” Satania insisted, pointing at her neck with vigor.

Curious, Vigne went over to her, staring at her neck for a moment before her gaze drifted to her hand. “All I really see is that your skin looks a lot softer now, Satania… And is that lavender?” she asked, sniffing at the other demon, who looked flustered and nervous once more.

“But of course, ufufu! Why, dear Satania took baths every day, taking full advantage of all the wonderful soaps and lotions the Shiraha estate has to offer.”

“She seemed to be quite fond of the lavender oil indeed,” Martiel added, nodding smugly as she took a sip of tea.

“Sounds like quite the luxury kidnapping…” Vigne grumbled. “I’ve been working awfully hard around the house lately, did you know that Satania?” she asked, putting on a serene smile that was covering up so much malice that Satania instantly started shaking..

“Y-yeah, I do…a-ahaha…” she laughed nervously, immediately worried about where this was all going.

“Must be nice, huh? Doing nothing to help your girlfriend around the house and sneaking off to live like royalty. Did you bring any of that wonderful food for me, huh? Bring me any of those lavender oils you so dearly loved?”

As her expression grew grimmer and grimmer, any doubts the angels might’ve had about Vigne being a demon flew straight out of the window.

“I-I’m sure those...those dumbass angels brought some-”

“Ohhhhh? So they brought gifts, but you didn’t bring me a thing back, huh? Y’know, I remember asking you to clean up around here when I was out getting groceries, but it sure doesn’t look like you did a thing! I’ll bet you just snuck off to the convenience store to load up on melon bread again!”

Raphiel didn’t even try to contain her laughter at that, but the demons continued on as if nobody else was there at all.

“Y-yeah! And they kidnapped me while I was there, Vignette! I was gonna clean when I got back, honest!”

“That so? So not only did you shirk your duties, but you got to spend a bunch of time in the lap of luxury while I got to carry all these groceries home alone? Sure sounds nice, Satania! Hey, Raphiel?”

“Hmm?” She wiped a tear from her eye, as she tried to regain at least some of her composure.

“Think you could kidnap me sometime? Sounds like you’re all excellent hosts!”

“Ufufufu! Certainly, Vigne! Martiel and I would ensure that you feel right at home in our estate!”

“Perfect! Can’t wait!” She smiled, before turning back to Satania with a steely glare. “Got any more complaints, huh? Because it sounds to me like you were just being a particularly ungrateful guest.”

“N-n-no...I think I’m good, ahaha…” she laughed nervously, too scared to even look her girlfriend in the eye.

“Good. That’s settled then. Sorry for Satania’s grumbling!” she said, turning and smiling once more, “But still, I’m not quite sure how she could’ve been away a week. Not that I don’t believe her, of course! With how rejuvenated she seems to be, it’d be hard not to…”

“The flow of time differs heavily between realms,” Martiel started, taking a sip of tea. “While a week did indeed pass within Heaven’s domain, that barely amounted to a single hour here on Earth. It is no more complicated than that.”

“Th-that so?” Vigne asked, shocked by how little gravity she seemed to be giving such a weighty idea.

“Indeed! It was quite the shock to me, too! But I was glad to find that you and Satania hadn’t been separated for long! She missed you so dearly, ufufu!”

“Sh-shaddup!” Satania huffed, finishing off her slice of cake. “That’s not the friggin’ point! You three need to tell her why you’re here right now, got that?”

“Oh my, Satania! You’re so very bold! You know, Martiel does have some other angelic items I asked her to bring with us! I believe she even brought that collar, too!”

As Satania’s face turned bright red, she immediately swallowed her pride once more, shutting up and drinking her tea deeply.

“But you are right. We do owe you an explanation, Vigne. Martiel, would you do the honors?”

“Certainly, Milady.” Martiel bowed. “We will be living with you and Miss Satania for the foreseeable future,” she said, keeping everything as short and to-the-point as possible.

“Y-yeah?” Vigne asked, smiling nervously. “It’s not that you don’t seem lovely, but y’know, this apartment definitely isn’t big enough for all of us.”

“Indeed, we’d figured that to be the case. That is why, as Milady as said, I brought several angelic implements with us to help ease the transition for everyone involved. Some of those include items that, in simplest terms, allow additional rooms to be added to an existing area without taking up any physical space. Think of it as a sort of pocket dimension, if that eases your confusion at all.”

“R-right… So you’d just...you’d put in a room, but it wouldn’t really be a room…” Vigne trailed off, wondering if all angels were as incomprehensible as these three seemed.

“Ufufu, Martiel, why don’t you show her?”

“Certainly, Milady. Miss Vigne, if I may?”

“O-of course…”

Without any delay, Martiel calmly walked over to an empty wall, reached into her jacket, and pulled out what seemed to be a door, sliding it out of her pocket with absolutely no fanfare as the devils in the room looked on in complete shock. Once it was all out, she placed it against the wall, pressed on it with all the care of someone putting a sticky note reminder to buy milk on the fridge, and then pushed open the door to a room that was large, empty, and entirely impossible.

“As you can see, there is more than enough room for the three of us to live here without any trouble. I can add more rooms, too, if you would like.”

“That’s OK!” Vigne smiled nervously, the idea of one of these things confusing her enough for one day.

“Additionally, I would be more than willing to assist with any household tasks that need to be performed. Cooking and cleaning are my forte, but anything that may ensure Milady has a pleasant, comfortable life is perfectly doable for me. I believe that would avoid any issue with Miss Satania failing to attend to her errands as well. We do not have any other options for housing here on Earth, so earning our keep here would not be any trouble whatsoever.”

“Ooh, me too!” Tapris shouted excitedly. “I’ll help out as much as I can!”

“You’re serious?!” Satania shouted. “I wouldn’t have to do any more chores?!”

Martiel nodded. “Though, of course, Milady will be exempt from such things. If her perfect, supple, delicate skin were to be at all sullied, I would be a disgrace to the Shiraha family,” she said, drooling slightly, making it clear that her thoughts were far less noble than she made them out to be.

“Vignette! It would be, erm, awfully rude if we didn’t give them a place to stay, right? They’ve come from so far away!”

“You were calling them kidnappers a minute ago…”

“Ahahaha! Water under the bridge, right? Forgive and forget, live and let live, all that?”

Vigne smiled a little at that. “You’re such a bad liar, dummy. You can just say you want to avoid your chores, you know? Not that that means you’re getting out of them that easily,” she added, giggling slightly. “But y’know, I wasn’t sure I’d do well living with you, and for as frustrating as you can be…” she kissed Satania on the forehead, “I love you a ton, Satania.”

“So, sure,” Vigne said, turning back to face the angels. “There’s no way I could turn away anyone in need.” She smiled, what little demonic presence she still had vanishing in an instant. “If you’d be willing to share some of that lavender oil with me, of course,” she added with a wink at Raphiel.

“Ufufufu, but of course! It only seems fair. You’re providing me with such wonderful entertainment, after all!” Raphiel smiled, her eyes widening as soon as she realized what she’d just said.

“E-entertainment…?”

Raphiel cleared her throat and smiled. “Hmm? What was that? You seem confused, Vigne! I was just thanking you for providing us with accommodations!”

“No...you said something about entertainment… And earlier you called Satania a ‘plaything…’”

“I don’t believe I did! Playthings provide entertainment, and you’re both new, dear friends to me, not playthings!”

“But you definitely called her-”

“Miss Vignette,” Martiel stared straight at her, blankly. “I believe you may be confused. Milady certainly did not imply that Miss Satania was anything other than a beloved friend. Why not relax while I clean the apartment?”

Vigne stared at Martiel for a moment, her expression completely unwavering, then looked at Raphiel, who was simply smiling the same pure, angelic smile she’d had since the moment she’d come in. She looked over at Tapris, who was too busy sipping away at tea and taking tiny bites of cake to be paying attention, and Satania had already turned her head away by the time Vigne came to her.

“R-right,” she finally relented, seeing she was alone in her concern. “I...I must have misheard, ahaha...”

Vigne slumped down on the couch, considering her tea for a moment while Martiel prepared to clean, having found an apron and cleaning supplies remarkably fast for how short she’d been there. At the others’ urging, Vigne took a sip of her own, watching as Martiel dusted around the kitchen, her eyes falling on the nearly-gone cake on the counter.

“Oh, that’s right! If we’re going to have so many guests, I’ll need to get some more groceries for dinner! Vigne exclaimed, rising up until Raphiel put her hand on her thigh.

“Ufufu, don’t worry about that at all, Vigne! It would be quite unfair if you had to go out again. After all, you just got back from shopping! Tapris, dear?”

“Y-yes, Miss Raphi?!” Tapris squeaked, wiping away the crumbs on her cheeks.

“Perhaps you would be so kind as to go to the store and purchase some more groceries for our meal tonight? Martiel was ever-so-kind and procured some funds for us, so please feel free to buy whatever you need,” she explained, handing the trainee angel a small purse.

“O-of course, Miss Raphi! Right away!”

“Ah, w-wait! Don’t you need a list?!” Vigne cried out, stopping Tapris as she was about to rush out the door. “You don’t even know what I’m making…”

“O-oh, r-right…”

Vigne sighed, and then smiled, a little exhausted by their energy and enthusiasm, but overall glad to have guests that were already feeling like a part of their home. She quickly scratched down a list for Tapris and some basic directions to the store, darting off before Vigne could even sit back down.

“She’s...awfully enthusiastic, huh?” Vigne asked, wearing an awkward smile.

“Indeed, Tapris is a sweetheart, though. She can get a bit high-strung when she’s nervous, but she’s just eager to do right by everyone she cares about. I’m certain that she’ll have an absolutely lovely time seeing some of the city while she’s out.”

“What about you? You don’t want to do any sightseeing yourself? I imagine this must be quite a change of pace from Heaven, huh? It might be good to get a little more familiar with how things work here on Earth.”

“Hmmm, well, it’s certainly different, that much is true…”

“Ahaha, not a fan?”

“No, it’s not that, it’s just that...hmm…” Raphiel paused a moment, considering exactly how to express what she was feeling, before smiling warmly once more. “Surrounded by so many wonderful companions, I’m confident that, no matter where I go, I’ll always feel like I belong!”

~~~

“Miss Raphi! Miss Raphi!” Tapris called out, running to catch up to Raphiel, Vigne, and Satania as they all made their way to school together.

“Ufufu, Tapris, though I’ve grown rather fond of that nickname, do try and use ‘Raphiel’ while we are at school,” Raphiel laughed.

“S-sorry Miss Raphi...el!” she corrected, having long since grown completely unaccustomed to using her full name. “B-but I got us all some snacks from the convenience store!”

“Oh gosh, that’s sweet, Tapris, but you didn’t have to do that! I made lunch for all of us, remember?” Vigne smiled, holding up a cloth-wrapped box for the angel to see.

“Yeah, and I’m suuuuper excited for it! But I just wanted to do something to help make today a little more special, too, ehehe. It’s a big day for Miss Raphi and me!”

“Ufufu, it most certainly is!” Raphiel smiled. She didn’t let it show, not wanting to diminish Tapris’s boundless enthusiasm, but she was actually somewhat nervous about the day ahead. It felt like only yesterday that she’d first been made to attend school in Heaven, and while she’d acclimated to that fairly quickly, the idea of returning to school on Earth, something she’d left behind so, so long ago, scared her more than she’d like to admit. Still, she would smile through it all. She couldn’t let her composure slip, after all, but seeing Tapris look so unreservedly happy, doing her best to make everyone around her happy, definitely cheered her up a little.

“So I bought all kinds of stuff! Like this super yummy-looking bread!” she smiled, opening up a packet of melon bread and taking a large bite out of it, her expression growing increasingly blissful as she savored the taste. “Gosh, it’s soooo good!”

“Hey, don’t hog that all to yourself, runt!” Satania yelled. “Gimme that!”

“Satania!” Vigne snapped. “Tapris did something nice for all of us, be a little more grateful!”

“Ehehe, that’s OK, Vigne!” she grinned, pulling out some more bread from the bag. “I thought this might be that melon bread stuff Satania says she likes so much, so I made sure to get her some, too!” She held it out for Satania, who tried to greedily snatch it up before Vigne pulled her arm back, scowling at her.

“What do you say, moron?” she asked flatly.

“Th-thank you?”

“Who’re you thanking, exactly?” Vigne glared.

“Ahhh! Stop treating me like a little kid, dammit!” she huffed, apparently unaware that it made her look even more like a child being scolded by her parents. “Thank you, Tapris! That’s super sweet of you!” she yelled, the annoyance in her voice as clear as day.

Raphiel stifled a laugh, her worries slowly melting away as she watched her plaything make a complete fool of herself again.

“Tapris, that good enough for you?” Vigne asked, still holding Satania’s arm back.

“Ehehe, yep! I know Satania’s just too shy to be nice around us,” she giggled, holding out the melon bread for her once more.

“I-I am not, friggin’ brat!” she yelled, before blushing brightly and muttering, “But for real, thanks.” She reached out for the bread again, her fingers barely an inch away before the bag was completely snatched up by a small white dog leaping up and grabbing it right out of Tapris’s hands.

“Hey, what the hell! That’s the dumb mutt that took my bread at the store the other day! I’m not losing to you this time!” Satania yelled, dashing after it as quickly as she could while the others looked on in surprise.

“Satania! Remember what I told you!” Raphiel called, her shock giving way to genuine delight, hoping that she was loud enough for Satania to hear her. “Use its language! There’s no way it won’t bow down to you if you speak with all your heart!”

“U-use its language?” Vigne asked, nervously.

“Why yes! I told Miss Satania that if a dog ever troubled her, she would just have to communicate with it in a way it could understand! She’s gotten rather good at-”

She cut herself off the second they heard the loud, ridiculous sound of Satania barking at the dog, growing more embarrassed and annoyed with each yap that left her lips.

“Pfffft…” Raphiel tried to stifle herself as best as she could, only to hear Satania’s barks growing even louder, breaking her already feeble attempt at covering up her amusement in an instant. “UFUFUFUFU! Satania’s truly wonderful, is she not?” she asked the others, wiping a tear from her eye.

“She’s...yeah, she’s sure something…” Vigne muttered, clearly embarrassed for the girl who, despite, or maybe because of her eccentricities, she loved very dearly.

“Ehehe, she’s doing her best...” Tapris smiled, her hostility toward the demons having almost completely dissipated at this point, “But I’m just glad you look so happy, Miss Raphi! You’ve been laughing and smiling like that every single day!”

“Ahaha, of course I’m happy, Tapris.” Raphiel smiled happily, not quite sure why she’d felt nervous that morning to begin with. She continued to look back at Satania while the others slowly turned and walked away, her smile growing all the wider as the redhead bit down on the melon bread’s wrapper, growling as she started a tug-of-war with the diminutive white dog. “There’s no way I couldn’t be with such lovely frie-playthings…” she muttered to herself, before quickly turning on her heels and catching up with the others, laughing to herself at the now-distant cry of, “H-hey, wait for me!” behind her.

**Author's Note:**

> A long, ambitious comedy story Kinozaki and I wrote a few months back, and a sequel to my earlier story about Satania: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20194507
> 
> This is one of the stories I'm most proud of, and better represents the way my writing is today! Do try read the Satania one first, if you can!


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